It's Love, Actually
by kmccartneyyyy
Summary: Darcy Potter returned to Hogwarts for her seventh year, expecting to fly through. But Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and she's got no one to talk to and lean on for support... until she meets a man that feels just as alone as she does.
1. A Memorable Last Year

**A MEMORABLE LAST YEAR**

"Darcy?"

I heard footsteps jump up the Dursley's hardwood stairs and I opened the door to the guest room. Harry handed me an envelope and I ripped it open. "Oh, our school list," I said. Harry was already looking at his. "This year will probably be the cheapest for me. What's on your list?"

"The usual," Harry replied, showing his list to me. His list extended to the bottom of the paper while mine only covered half. "I would like some new robes, though. Mine are getting a bit tight."

Hedwig's screech sounded from downstairs and I followed my little brother down the stairs, where he fed the snowy owl a treat. "Aren't the Dursleys home?" I asked, petting the owl. She nipped playfully at my fingers. I peered quickly into the pink sitting room, which was empty. "I didn't hear them leave. Usually, they sound like a herd of elephants."

"Oh," Harry said, hopping up on the counter and feeding Hedwig another treat. I looked at my list again. "Dudley was complaining about a birthday gift he got. I think they went to get a new one."

"No wonder I didn't hear the giant oaf shout when Hedwig chirped," I rolled my eyes. "Are we going to the Weasleys again? Or are we just going to meet in Diagon Alley?"

"How would we get to Diagon Alley from here?" Harry asked and I shrugged, putting the parchment down on the counter and leaning against it. I sighed.

"I figured you and I could just Apparate. I also considered catching the Knight Bus, but that's the absolute last thing I want to do," I said. "Aren't we going to Apparate to the Burrow? I thought that's what Mrs. Weasley wanted us to do."

"I guess," Harry nodded. "I'd rather do that instead of fly in that bloody car with Ron! I'm just afraid of getting splinched again.

I snickered, remembering last year and how Ron brought us to Hogwarts in a flying car – a car he had no idea how to drive. "Come off it, Harry, you only lost a fingernail! And I was able to give you a new one before we took another step! And it didn't hurt, did it?"

"Not really…"

At that moment, the front door bust open and Dudley waddled into the kitchen with a pleasant smile on his face. Our giant oaf of an uncle followed him and hidden behind his beastlike structure, our skinny Aunt Petunia set her purse on a coat hanger. Harry hopped off the counter before she could scream at him and Hedwig flew away so she wouldn't get shooed by Vernon. Harry and I grasped our letters from Hogwarts tightly in our hands.

"We get our letters," I tried to say, but Dudley was too busy opening the new Playstation his parents had gotten him. It took a minute for Vernon and Petunia to focus on us again, looking at us with beady, black eyes. "We got our letters."

"Fantastic," Vernon spat. "Really, I don't see why you keep reminding us. You've gotten one every year for seven years now and we haven't done anything about it."

I looked at Harry furtively and he saw me, scrunching his nose. "We're leaving tonight. I don't think I can take another day in this bloody house," I hissed, pocketing the letter. Vernon seemed outraged at my response and he looked as if he were about to hit me.

"Sir, could you sign something for me?" Harry piped up. Vernon shifted his glance from me to Harry and I felt disgusted at the way Harry addressed him as 'sir'. "It's for school and I need a guardian's signature. I've got one for the both of us.

After the Dursleys refused to sign my Hogsmeade permission slip in my third year, Hogwarts sent a new one every year after that, but nothing changed. Harry held up two slips in his hands and Vernon sighed. "Depending on your behavior –"

"But we're leaving _tonight_," Harry growled and I took his sleeve and dragged him away from the purple faced man. We walked upstairs and into the guest room, where Harry and I had to alternate between sleeping on the small, twin bed or in a sleeping bag on the carpeted floor. "Darcy, I really want to be able to go to –"

"It's not all that great anyway, Harry," I replied, throwing my clothes into my trunk.

"You've been there?"

"Yeah."

"But Vernon never signed your permission slip. How did you get past Filch and McGonagall?" he asked and I grinned, holding up the old, tattered cloak from the top of my trunk. "The Invisibility Cloak… Good one."

"Are you ready?" I said, sounding a bit impatient.

Harry sighed and closed his trunk, even though he wasn't done folding all his clothes. "You really _did_ get Voldemort's temper, you know."

"Shut up," I hissed again and Harry did exactly as I said, locking his trunk. "Now hold my arm tight this time and you won't be losing any fingernails."

Harry dug his nails into my skin and I grimaced as I thought about the Burrow. I closed my eyes and there was a loud _pop. _I was being pulled into a small hole, it felt like a pinhole and I was losing my breath, my lungs being squeezed tight… _CRACK_! We arrived in a stream outside the Burrow and I groaned.

My jeans were soaked and I waded out of the water, Harry following close behind. I pulled my wand out of my pocket and flicked it once, drying my pants and shoes and socks. I turned around and did the same for Harry, who thanked me with a grunt.

I knocked on the door and panted, setting my trunk down. The door swung wide open and a red faced Arthur Weasley stood there, a wide grin on his face. He flicked his wand and our suitcases lifted themselves and shoved themselves against a wall. Hedwig had already arrived and was sitting her cage, nuzzled in her wing, fast asleep. He pulled me into a hug and then shook Harry's hand.

Mrs. Weasley rushed to the door and embraced me like a mother would hold her long lost daughter – which I pretty much was. She kissed both my cheeks and I heard voices come from inside the sitting room. My cheeks turned bright red and I turned back to Harry, who was being attacked by the plump woman.

"It's so great to see you again, Darcy," Mr. Weasley said, walking me towards the sitting room. "Sorry, we aren't able to chat at this moment, but we're holding just a small meeting right now. Would you like to –"

"Arthur! She's still a child," Mrs. Weasley reminded her husband as she sent Harry upstairs towards the beaming Ron Weasley. I couldn't tell who was in the room, but I tried to look past Mr. Weasley to see.

"Come on, Molly, Darcy isn't a child anymore! She's seventeen!" Mr. Weasley smiled, clapping a hand down on my shoulder. I grinned and Mrs. Weasley nodded reluctantly. Mr. Weasley pushed me into the sitting room and I saw Dumbledore sitting on a rocking chair. He smiled.

"Darcy Potter," he stood up and shook my hand gently. I took a seat on the couch, next to a man I had never seen before. I crossed my legs awkwardly and rested my hands in my lap. "Are you excited for your seventh year at Hogwarts?"

I nodded eagerly. "Let's hope it'll be the memorable last year I've dreamt of for years," I smiled and Dumbledore laughed a little. I looked to my left at the man. He looked a younger than Mr. Weasley, but older than me. He was wearing a very shabby blue sweater which had patches at the elbows, but I held my tongue. There were three long and faded scars across his face. He looked straight ahead at the fireplace and I looked back at Dumbledore.

"Terribly sorry, Darcy," Dumbledore motioned to the man sitting beside me and cleared his throat. I looked at the man and he looked at me. "This charming man to your left will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Professor Lupin, this is Darcy Potter. She's a N.E.W.T. student this year – very bright."

Lupin held out his hand awkwardly. Dumbledore, Mr. Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley watched us as we slowly shook hands. "Nice to finally meet you, Miss Potter," Lupin said in a hoarse voice. He looked as if he hadn't eaten in weeks or even slept in a few days.

He kept examining my eyes and I felt uncomfortable. I drew my hand back and looked at Dumbledore. "I told you she looked like Lily, Remus. She's a carbon copy of her mother with brown hair."

"I didn't think she'd look exactly like her mother," Lupin admitted and he looked at me one last time. "The spitting image."

I turned red. "Um, what were you guys talking about?" I said quietly.

"Sirius Black is on the loose again and I believe you are aware of this?" Dumbledore asked me and I nodded. "And actually, this meeting was coming to a close – sorry to disappoint you, Miss Potter, but we must be on our way. Arthur, Molly, thank you for the hospitality."

"Oh, Albus, Remus! Please! You absolutely must stay for dinner! We even prepared to have enough food for you two to have some," Mrs. Weasley looked at Dumbledore and he looked at Lupin, almost as if he couldn't pass up an opportunity for the ill looking professor to eat a decent meal. "I've made such big supper plans for you and Darcy and Harry." I knew that Mrs. Weasley loved big dinners and company.

"I suppose a few more hours couldn't hurt, eh, Remus?" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "You haven't met Harry yet, either. We'll depart shortly after dinner, but we're in no rush at all. Take your time preparing dinner, Molly."

"It'll be done in a few minutes," Mrs. Weasley said, rushing to the kitchen. "Darcy? Remus? You don't mind setting the table and helping me?"

Lupin stood up immediately and I trailed after him into the kitchen, where we didn't use magic at all. There was something about Mrs. Weasley; she never used magic while cooking. I set each place at the table with a plate and a glass and Lupin did the silverware.

Mrs. Weasley was stirring some salad and finishing some last minute items. I looked up at Lupin, holding the drinks in my hand as he laid out the napkins. "You knew my mother?" I asked him suddenly. He looked up and nodded.

"I knew your father, too," he replied. "James was one of my best mates."

I nodded, not knowing what else to say to him.

"So, a N.E.W.T. student?" he asked again. "Dumbledore tells me you're one of his brightest students and one of his favorites. He said you received an O in Defense."

"Yes, I did," I blushed a little and continued to set the drinks on the table. "It's one of my favorite classes besides potions."

"Potions, hm?" Lupin sniffed. "Never really liked potions all that much, but I wasn't horrible at it. I'm sure you're excellent at it – Lily was outstanding in potions class. Slughorn was exceptionally proud of her."

"I got an O in potions," I shrugged as if it were nothing. While he wasn't looking at me, I got a good look at him again. His sandy brown hair fell into his blue eyes and he kept pushing it away, but it wouldn't stay put. "But I only really pay attention because I want to be an Auror once I graduate."

Mrs. Weasley looked at me quickly and went back to her salad dressing. Lupin looked up. "An Auror?" he asked, sounding rather surprised. "Really? That's quite the dream."

"What are you saying?" I snapped.

"I wasn't implying that you weren't going to become one!" he replied, his eyebrows raised and his hands up in surrender. "You know, I'm actually –"

"Darcy?" Mrs. Weasley said hastily. She eyed Lupin with a stern look. "Would you mind getting the others? Supper's ready."

"It was so great to meet you all," Lupin smiled. He looked much healthier after eating dinner. Dumbledore stood behind him and smiled. "Harry, Ron, Hermione, I'll be seeing you on the first day. Darcy, I look forward to seeing your progress as an Auror."

"Oh, she told you about that, did she?" Dumbledore cut in and Lupin nodded. "She's well on her way, Remus, as we should be, as well."

Everyone said their goodbyes and Lupin waved once more to everyone before following Dumbledore outside in the field and with a loud _pop_, they were gone.

Mrs. Weasley turned to us. "How was he?" she asked us all. "He's a really great guy once you get to know him. I'm sure he'll be a fine teacher."

"He seems fantastic compared to the other professors we've had," I replied, stretching my arms and Ron added an 'amen' to my statement. "I'm telling you, I could have ripped Lockhart's eyeballs out of his socket if he had to teach me again. He was completely mental!"

"You've got your letters then? For Hogwarts?" she asked again and I nodded, reaching in my pockets and showing her. "Excellent, we'll be going to Diagon Alley tomorrow."

"We've got to make a quick stop at Gringotts for our money –"

"Hush, Darcy," Mrs. Weasley said and I flicked my wand, sending all the dirty dishes from the kitchen table to the sink to be washed by a floating sponge. "We'll handle it. It's not a problem at all."

"It's going to be very expensive, Mrs. Weasley…" I told her with wide eyes. She shrugged. "Er – why were Professor Dumbledore and Professor uh –"

"Lupin?"

"Yeah, him," I replied. "How come they were here tonight?"

She raised her eyebrows and began to stutter. "Just talking about N.E.W.T.'s and O.W.L.'s. Having so many kids taking tests can be rather hectic," she sighed and Mr. Weasley walked in the kitchen, throwing the _Daily Prophet_ on the table and ruffling my hair like a dog. I smiled nervously, not liking the feeling of being treated like a child. "Now off to bed with you, Darcy. You'll be sharing a room with Ginny and Hermione tonight."

I nodded slowly and walked up the steps to the second floor, opening Ginny's door.


	2. Diagon Alley

**DIAGON ALLEY**

"Arthur," Mrs. Weasley's voice said. I froze at the top of the stairs, hidden from view. The couple was in the kitchen and I clung to the banister, wanting to hear their conversation. "Darcy worries me."

"In what way, Molly?" Mr. Weasley said happily and I could hear his heavy footsteps pace around the tile floor. "Darcy perfectly fine going back to school, if that's what you mean. She can handle anything that's thrown at her. There's no need to worry about her. Besides, with Remus teaching her, she'll know everything by the end of the year."

"But what if Sirius Black happens to get to her or Harry?" Mrs. Weasley continued. "The thought of it scares me, but what worries me more is her becoming an Auror. Do you know how dangerous that is? What if You-Know-Who finds her again? What if he kills her like he killed her parents? If she leaves her aunt and uncle's house for good, she could be tracked!"

"Listen, she'll be fine," Mr. Weasley's reassuring voice added. "I promise. Now, let's get to bed."

"Those robes look great on you, Harry," I said as he admired them closely. The red and gold outline on his collar made him smile proudly. "Definitely better than the last ones – those were always a bit tight."

As Harry stepped off Madam Malkin's stool, I handed him the free ice cream that Florean would always give us when we returned to Diagon Alley. I reached in my pocket and pulled out the money that Mrs. Weasley had given us for the day and I handed Madam Malkin enough money to pay for his robes.

"What other books do you need? Hagrid's already given you your Care of Magical Creatures one," I thought for a moment. I had a hard time remembering all the way back to my third year. "Remember, you've got to stroke it."

"I know that _now_," Harry groaned. "I wish Hagrid would have put that in the letter before I fed it my shoe!" I laughed, but Harry sighed. "I've got all the books I need."

"Me too," I replied quietly, staring at a picture posted on the wall of Ollivander's. It was a wanted picture of Sirius Black and in the picture of him, he was screaming, trying to break free from the guards grip. Above the picture, the flyer read, 'Have you seen this wizard?'

"Who's that?" Harry asked and I turned to him, wide eyed. "What?"

"That's Sirius Black," I explained quietly, pointed to the crazed man on the paper. "Twelve years ago, he killed a street full of Muggles. He's been in Azkaban ever since. Harry, he's really dangerous."

"Well, what will he want with a bunch of students?" Harry asked and I shook my head.

"Harry, I don't think you understand. I'm positive that's why Dumbledore and Lupin were at the Weasley's when we got there," I said. "Dumbledore told me that Sirius Black had escaped and I heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking – I think Sirius is after _us_."

"Us? Of course it'd be us!" Harry threw his hands up in the air in rage as we walked down Diagon Alley to Flourish and Blotts, where we were going to meet up with the Weasleys. "It's always us, isn't it? It was just our luck that we had to kill a bloody basilisk in the Chamber of bloody Secrets and then it was us who had to kill Quirell or Voldemort – whatever –"

"Harry, I know that I say the name all the time," I said quietly, calming him down by putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But don't do it here. Not in Diagon Alley. We'll talk about it on the train, but not in front of all these people. You don't know what kind of people – what kind of freaks will be roaming about…"

I looked to my left, out of the corner of my eye, and saw Lucius Malfoy push his son along the Alley. Lucius caught sight of me and sneered, but then grinned as if he pitied me. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Miss Potter – the girl who set my house elf free," he spat and I breathed in and out, resisting the urge to spit in his face.

His eyes flicked to Harry. "Dobby deserved to go free," Harry retorted and Lucius' eyes widened, ignoring his comment.

"I hope you have a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year, Mr. Potter," he said to my little brother. "Rumor has it that Sirius Black is after you and you're clueless in the subject. You're lucky to have a sister who has a little knowledge about defensive spells."

"He will be a good teacher, actually," I spoke up and Lucius looked back at me. Draco snorted and his father hit his son's shin, shutting him up right away. "We met him the other day and he seems nice."

"Is that so?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded. "I have too, in fact. I met him at the Ministry with Dumbledore this past summer. He's rather – oh, what would you call him, Draco?"

"Shabby? Gross? Poor?" Draco cackled. "The man's an oaf! He has no idea what he's talking about."

"Enough, Draco," Lucius frowned and Draco sighed, crossing his pale arms. "We shall see, yes?"

I breathed in. "You'll be shit out of luck when Professor Lupin teaches me a spell to kiss your ass then, won't you?" I hissed and a Harry's eyes widened, a grin spreading across his face. He turned away so Lucius and Draco wouldn't see him snicker. Lucius looked at me with cold eyes and he looked beyond angry. "I'll need all the help I can get to protect myself from a man like yourself."

"How _dare_ you?" Lucius growled and I felt a hand come down on my shoulder. I turned around to see Mr. Weasley staring at the tall, blonde haired man. "She yours for the day, Arthur?"

Mr. Weasley nodded and his grip on my shoulder tightened.

"You best put that one on a leash," Lucius continued, taking a step towards me. "Or at least a _muzzle_." And with that, Lucius and Draco turned away, walking briskly towards Knockturn Alley.

"What happened?" Mr. Weasley asked and Harry's eyes lit up.

"It was amazing!" my brother jumped at the opportunity to tell the story. "He insulted Lupin and he got Malfoy telling us how disgusting he was, but Darcy stood up for him and said he'd be… well, out of luck when she comes back and kicks his butt!"

"Dear Lord, Darcy," Mr. Weasley grinned. "That's my girl. Let's just leave out that part when we tell Molly, yeah?"

I smiled as we walked into the bookstore.

"Harry, would you stop it? You've told that story about ten times in the course of a day," I sighed, looking into all of the full train compartments. "What did I tell you about being early? Now there aren't any empty compartments."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I reached the end of the train car and there was only one last compartment, with Professor Lupin in it. His head was against the giant glass window, his old and tattered black coat pulled up to his eyes, which were closed.

"Come on, guys," I said, sliding the door open. "There aren't any others. Besides, I'd rather sit with him than Malfoy." Hermione and Ron entered the small compartment first, sitting on the opposite bench of Lupin. Harry made them squeeze over so I had to sit next to Lupin. I sighed and threw my bag over top of my head and sat down next to the sleeping man. "You reckon he's really asleep?"

"Seems to be," Hermione shrugged, glancing at his face.

"Darcy, enough talk about him – what you did was bloody brilliant! No one would ever stand up to Lucius Malfoy! Harry, tell me the story again," Ron grinned and Harry repeated it, happy to tell it for the thousandth time. I blushed, scared that Lupin would hear that I stood up for him, not that it was a bad thing.

"Enough of that," I snapped. "You'll never guess who's after us this year." I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms. Hermione's eyes widened.

"No… Sirius Black is after you?" Hermione asked in disbelief. I nodded. "And Dumbledore knows? What if he puts all these stupid rules on you?"

"It's my last year. I wouldn't follow them anyway."

"But if there's a convicted murderer out there looking for you, why would you go out by yourself?" Hermione said and the atmosphere suddenly became cold and dark. Or was it just a little chilly?

I could see my breath as I wrapped my arms around me. "What the hell is going on?" I asked quietly as the window began to freeze over. Ron looked out the window. "Have we stopped?"

"I don't think –" he said and then the lights went out and the train lurched. For a moment, I thought the whole train was going to fall off the tracks. I felt my body hit Lupin's and I sat up immediately. The lights flickered back on and I looked at the now awake professor.

"I'm sorry, Professor –" but the train lurched again and I was throw into him. My elbow connected with him by accident and by the way his groan sounded, I think my elbow might have 'grazed' his groin. "I'm sorry again! I'm so sorry! Oh God… are you okay…?"

"Shh!" he hissed. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back into my seat. The lights stayed out this time. The air was suddenly still and I was frozen – literally and figuratively. I had goosebumps running up and down my arms and my spine tingled. Something moved outside the compartment door and my eyes widened. It looked like a black ghost in a black robe.

It lifted its hand to open the door and it was grey, scabbed, and decaying. I sank further into the cushioned seat as it came into the compartment and my lips trembled. I couldn't see its face, but once it lowered its hood, my eyes widened. Its head was a giant mouth that looked just like its hand. There were no teeth, just a dark circle.

It got closer to me and before I could do anything, I heard voices in my head, screaming, and then something bright came from Lupin's wand, driving the monster away. It fled the room and the lights turned back on. I saw dots and colors and I felt lightheaded. I gripped onto the seat a few times.

"Darcy? Darcy?" Lupin asked. "Darcy, are you alright?" He reached into his pocket, but before I could see what it was that he was taking out, I passed out.

"Hello, hello, earth to Darcy!" Ron's voice seemed far away. Someone gently smacked my cheek and Ron spoke again. "Just give it to her."

_Give me what, exactly_? I thought. I opened my eyes and breathed in. Lupin took that as the perfect opportunity to shove chocolate into my mouth. I choked on it and then chewed the block of chocolate slowly. Warmth spread throughout my body and I shuddered. Lupin and Harry was kneeling over me on the ground. "We're at Hogwarts," Harry told me. He and Lupin helped me to my wobbly knees. I took hold of Harry's sleeve to help balance myself. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I growled, letting my brother go and regaining my tough and cool composure. "Let's go."

Lupin reached into his pocket again. "Here, I've got some more chocolate if you want –"

"I said I was fine," I repeated, grabbing my bag from the rack above. I gripped it in my hand and heard Hermione whisper to Lupin behind me.

"She's very independent, you know," she whispered and I pretended I couldn't hear her.

"Was it something I said?" Lupin whispered back.

"Don't worry about it," Harry cut in. I glared at him out of the corner of my eye. "She's always like this. But I'm sure if you were dying on the floor, she'd at least _attempt_ to save you."

"Potter!"

I whipped around and looked in the enormous crowd to see a pale, blonde haired, third year walking towards me. Draco approached me and I frowned. "What do you want, Malfoy?" I asked, a little annoyed. Did he really think he could take me?

"I find it rude that a filthy half blood like you could talk to my father like you did," he sneered, pulling his wand out. I took mine out just as fast as he did.

"You know I could kill you, Malfoy," I raised my eyebrows and breathed in deeply. I wasn't nervous. Malfoy couldn't cast a hex to save his life. I knew six whole years worth of spells – what did he know?

"_Expelliarmus_!" he cried, but I was quicker.

"_Protego_!" I flicked my wand and Malfoy's wand flew from his hand. He went to go run away, but I grinned. "Not so fast, Draco! _Locomotor Mortis_!" Draco fell to the ground, his legs bound together. He whimpered and I chuckled. Students began to circle around us and those that weren't Slytherin were laughing. "_Rictusempra_!"

Malfoy burst into laughter, his legs straight and locked. He grabbed his gut and cried out, "Make it stop!" More laughter. "Potter, make it stop!"

But no one dared touch him. Suddenly, I felt a hand come gently down on my shoulder. "What's going on here?" asked a familiar voice. Lupin looked at me. I still had my wand pointed towards Malfoy, who was laughing uncontrollably on the ground.

I flicked my wand again. "_Finite Incantatum_!" Malfoy suddenly stopped laughing and he stood up, brushing himself off and the snickering settled.

"Aren't you going to do something about her?" he spat, grabbing his wand which was at his feet. "She just jinxed me! She cast three spells to hurt me!"

"I didn't hurt you, Draco!" I shouted and I held my wand up, pointing it straight at his chest. Lupin lowered it and I thought briefly about casting a spell at both of them. "I didn't hurt you! You were being _tickled_! Does it hurt to be tickled, Draco? Why don't you just –"

"Enough, Darcy," Lupin said and I half expected him to yell at me, but he kept calm. "That's enough. Off to the Great Hall with you. With all of you."

Malfoy looked Lupin over with a snarl on his face. As Lupin walked away, I just barely twisted my wand hand and in my head, I thought, _Furnunculus_. I smirked as Malfoy screamed and his teeth began to grow larger and larger until they were the size of horse teeth. Lupin turned back around and raised his eyebrows.

"Most impressive, Miss Potter, but I'm afraid you'll be serving detention with me tomorrow night," Lupin said. "Set his teeth right and then go to the feast." A few people started laughing again.

Another wordless flick of my wand and Malfoy's teeth returned to normal.


	3. Patronuses and Birthday Gifts

**PATRONUSES AND BIRTHDAY GIFTS**

"Dementors? Guarding the school? Has Dumbledore gone mad?" my best friend, Emily asked. We were on our way to Defense Against the Dark Arts for the last class of the day. "He knows what happened to you on the train –"

"Can you not talk about that?" I snapped and she rolled her eyes. "I don't want word getting around that I fainted. That's embarrassing! If I'm going to be an Auror, I have to know how to react calmly in pressured situations."

"Don't worry," Emily sighed. "It was attacking you. If it had been attacking someone else, I'm sure you'd be able to handle it." She sounded sure of herself. I looked at her and she shook her bangs out of her eyes.

Emily was beautiful. Long legs, blonde hair, and blue eyes. I was extremely jealous of her all the time because she could find guys by batting her eyelashes. I, on the other hand, had to actually get to know a guy for one to like me, which was very rare. She was barely ever single and when she wasn't out with a random guy, we were always together.

I didn't say anything more as we walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Lupin wasn't in the room, so I assumed that he was either still in his office, or just hadn't arrived yet. Emily and I were the last ones to arrive to class. The only empty seats were in the very front, so we walked to the front of the classroom and sat down beside each other.

Suddenly, the door to the office up the staircase opened and Professor Lupin, shabby as ever, walked down the stairs, cringing, as if each step caused him physical pain. "As most of you know, Dementors are guarding our school, guarding us from Sirius Black," he cringed again and I looked around. Was no one else noticing his body language? I couldn't tell if he was hurting or if he was just odd. "So that's the first thing I'll be teaching you. How to defend yourself against Dementors.

"Before you learn to spell to repel them, though, wouldn't it be good to know a little bit about what you'll be facing? Does anyone know exactly what a Dementor does?"

No one answered and Lupin raised his eyebrows. I slowly raised my hand and he nodded. "I know that they're dark creatures and they're controlled by the Ministry. They feed off happiness and positive things. And they guard Azkaban, right?"

"Correct, yes," Lupin said, walking to the small front desk towards the end of the room. He sat on it, his feet touching the ground. "Ten points to Gryffindor.

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures to walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, and they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling and every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself… soulless and evil. You will be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life," his eyes flicked to me. "Experiences that most of you can't imagine living with.

"No need to worry, though. I've readied a class to teach you all the charm. It's called the Patronus Charm and it's very advanced magic. Even though you are all advanced students, I don't expect you to get it on the first try," he breathed in. "If you'll all pair up, we can begin."

Emily touched my arm. I nodded and we stood up, standing towards the front and against the wall.

"A Patronus is a kind of positive force," Lupin explained. "And for the wizard or witch that can conjure one, it works something like a shield, with the Dementor feeding on it, rather than him. In order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. Not just any memory, but a happy memory, a very powerful memory. Allow it to fill you up and speak incantation, _Expecto Patronum_."

Everyone repeated it. "_Expecto Patronum_."

"Good. Now, if everyone will line up just like this – right, Joseph, stand here – then one person at a time, think of a happy memory and see for yourselves what the Patronus Charm does! Begin!"

Emily went first. Without hesitating, she yelled, "_Expecto Patronum_!" The only thing that came out of the tip of her wand was a small wisp of bright light.

"Like that'll protect you from Dementors," I snorted. "It's absolutely _terrifying_."

"Maybe my memory just wasn't happy enough," she pouted and then she raised her eyebrows. "Let me try again." She spoke the incantation perfectly and held her wand still, but nothing but the wisp came out. I stifled another snort and she tried six more times, but failed each time.

I was beginning to doubt myself. If she had tried it six times and couldn't get it, could I? It seemed like she was doing it perfectly. I looked around the room and saw that no one was really getting it.

"Well, Darcy, let's see it," said Professor Lupin's voice and I held my wand out, thinking of a good memory. When I thought I had found one, I breathed in.

"_Expecto Patronum_!" The power from the wand almost threw me backwards, but I kept my feet planted on the ground. A white dog, coming up to about my knees, erupted from my wand and began jumping around the room. The students all laughed as it knocked one student to the ground. When Lupin put a hand on my shoulder, the dog disappeared.

"Very good, Miss Potter!" he exclaimed. He grinned. "Dumbledore wasn't kidding when he said you were well on your way to becoming an Auror! Fifty points to Gryffindor! As a matter of interest, Darcy, what were you thinking?"

"Um, right before mum and dad died," I blushed a little bit and looked towards the ground. Lupin's hand tightened on my shoulder and I looked back up at him. "When Harry was born and it was really the last time we were a family."

No one else heard me say it except for Lupin and Emily. Everyone else was too determined on getting their Patronus down. Lupin nodded and removed his hand from my shoulder, but I didn't notice until I turned and saw him on the opposite side of the room. My shoulder was still warm from his touch.

Later that night, I arrived at Lupin's classroom at 7:00 to serve my detention. I sat at the front desk, where Emily and I had sat for class. When the door to his office opened quickly, I jumped and my heart raced. "I thought I heard footsteps," he said, motioning for me to come up the stairs. "Come on, I have some work you can help me with."

I nodded and stood up, leaping up the stairs and walking into his office. There was a table pushed up against the wall to the left of me, complete with an old record player and a closed briefcase. There were a few shabby robes folded up in the corner of the table. To my right, in the far corner, was a tall bookshelf, cramped with what seemed to be all Muggle books. I grinned and he pushed a seat up for me beside his desk, right next to his chair, where he sat.

"I haven't really planned out anything horrible for you to do," he laughed to himself. "I've never given a detention before. So here – you can help me grade some of these papers." He set a stack of papers in front of me and I sighed.

"It's the first day and you've already given out assignments?" I asked, flipping through them.

"It wasn't a real assignment," he explained. "It was just to see what they knew."

"How am I supposed to grade them?" I asked and he looked at me, looking quite amused.

"If they got the answer right, you give them a point. If they get the answer wrong, they don't get a point."

"Right," I replied, turning red and pulling out a quill. I dipped it in his ink and sighed, marking most of the questions as wrong. "So… my father."

"James?" Lupin chuckled, neither of us looking up from our papers. "You seem to be just like him. You look exactly like Lily, though. Exactly like her. When you first walked into the Weasley's, I knew who you were."

I smiled and we both put our papers to the side, making a pile for the graded papers. "I think that's so cool that you two were friends," I said quietly. "What were you guys like?"

"It wasn't just him and I," Lupin told me. "But him and this other boy – I, er – I can't remember his name, but they would always make fun of Snape."

"You made fun of Snape?" I grinned. "He deserved it. He always picks on everyone. He's cruel, really. I mean, sometimes he can be nice, I guess."

"Snivellus," Lupin snickered and for a moment, he reminded me of a sixteen year old boy. "None of this leaves the classroom, Darcy." I looked up at him and he was smiling. I went back to grading my stack of papers and flipped through them, starting on the next one.

"Right," I answered. "So what was he like?"

"Just like you!" Lupin laughed. "He was a trouble-maker! He was a very talented wizard too. He wanted nothing more than to become an Auror – just like yourself. But after seeing you produce that Patronus on the first shot, I think you'd give your father a run for his money."

"You think?" I asked, resting my head in my hands. "That's so exciting… I can't believe you were best friends with my dad."

After grading only five papers, I became bored.

"This is awfully boring, Professor," I sighed and flipped through another paper. He was already more than halfway through his stack and I felt like I was slowing him down. "This is too boring."

"Then you shouldn't have gotten detention," he told me seriously.

"But Malfoy was only pretending like I hurt him! I didn't even do anything wrong!"

"Keep going, Darcy," Lupin said. "Only a little bit longer. I won't keep you much longer."

I breathed in deeply and he lifted his head to look at me. His eyes pierced mine and I scanned his face once more. Once again, he was looking ill and tired and I bit my lip. "Professor - ?"

"That's enough for today, Darcy… you can go," he told me quickly.

I raised an eyebrow and hesitantly stood up. "Oh," I muttered, a little disappointed. "O – okay, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, sir."

On September 10th, I celebrated my eighteenth birthday in the privacy of the Gryffindor common room. As Harry, Ron, Hermione and a few others sang happy birthday to me, I smiled at the cupcake that was set in front of me, a single candle burning in the center. As they finished the song, we all clapped and I blew out the candle. Hermione handed me two gifts, presumably books, to open first. "Dumbledore got you that one," she said, pointing to one. "And I got you this one."

I opened Hermione's first to reveal a book called _Concealment and Disguise_. I grinned. That was one of the tests one had to take to become an Auror. "Thank you, this will really come in handy," I told her, setting it on the coffee table in front of the couch. I crossed my legs underneath me and readjusted myself, opening Dumbledore's gift. I tore it open and saw another book named _Stealth and Tracking_, yet another part of an Auror's test. "Brilliant! This is great! I'll have to thank him later…"

Ron handed me the next gift. "This is from me, dad, Fred, George, and Ginny," he told me. I took the wrapped box and opened it carefully – I had no idea what Fred and George thought was funny. I smiled when I saw what the family had gotten me.

"Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous, Wet Start, No Heat, Fireworks," I laughed and put them beside the books. "Thanks, Ron."

"And this is mum's," Ron said, handing me another gift. "Although, I'm sure you can guess what it is…"

"Another sweater?" I guessed and when I opened it, I was right. It was hand knitted and on the front, Mrs. Weasley had stitched a giant 'D'. She did it every year for my birthday and Harry always got his on Christmas. I smiled and put it to the side.

"Hold on, Darcy, your gift from me is upstairs," Harry bounded up the stairs and went into his dorm room, returning five seconds later and jumping down the stairs again, with an owl cage. Inside was a beautiful brown, black, and white owl with a heart shaped face and black spots all over its white chest. "His name is Max… not really a good name for an owl…"

"Harry, I love it!" I ran over to my brother and took the cage from his hands. I opened the cage and the owl fluttered out, landing on top of the cage as I carried it back to the couch. I stroked its head as it nibbled at the sleeve of my shirt and it moved to sit on my arm. "Hello, Max! Now we won't have to share Hedwig! We can send two different letters at a time! Oh, Max, you're so precious! Thank you, Harry! Thank you, guys!"


	4. Secrets, Secrets

**SECRETS, SECRETS, ARE NO FUN,**

**SECRETS, SECRETS, HURT SOMEONE.**

Walking down the dark corridor, I was the only student still out. It was almost eleven thirty, which was past the seventh year's curfew. With my feet making no noise at all on the cold ground, I snuck past all the portraits. I suddenly turned the corner and I fell to the ground. Something crashed and I groaned, looking up.

Professor Snape dropped the cauldron from his hands and the potion spilled all over the floor, the cauldron breaking into several pieces. I got on my knees and began to pick them all up. "Miss Potter," Snape growled. "What are you doing here so late at night? You should be back in your commons by now."

"I was going back – I was reading and lost track of time…" I lied, holding up the sharp pieces of cauldron in my hands. I stood up. "I'm – I'm so sorry for breaking this. I'll go throw it away now."

"Wait a minute, Potter," Snape snapped and I froze. "I won't take those twenty points from Gryffindor if you can tell me what potion this is." I looked at the ground, the steam still rising from the potion.

"How do you expect me to know what potion this is?"

"Because I've taught you for seven years now. Now go on, taste it. It won't kill you," Snape said, his voice still low.

I dipped my index finger into the pool on the ground and sniffed it. It was odorless and I couldn't tell the color because it was dark. I licked it off my finger and choked – it tasted horrid. Snape's lips twisted into a smirk as I coughed. "This is disgusting! Why would you make me taste this?"

"Do you know what it is?"

I looked at it again. It tasted bad, it was odorless, and it steamed. "It's Wolfsbane," I replied, quite sure of my answer. But why would Snape have it? He wasn't a werewolf!

"What in God's name is going on down here?" A bright blue light emitted from a wand down the hall and I saw Professor Lupin walking down towards us. Faint blue smoke rose from the ground and Lupin stared at it. "Go ahead, Severus. I'll stay here while she cleans up."

Snape looked suspicious, but then walked away, leaving us alone.

"Here, I'll take those bits of cauldron. I don't want you cutting your hands up," Lupin held out his hands and I dumped the sharp pieces into them. He nodded, motioning towards the ground. "I'll have Filch take care of that, Miss Potter. Don't worry about it."

"Professor," I said before he walked away. "Why would Professor Snape need Wolfsbane?"

"Perhaps it was just an experiment. You never know what Snape is getting into," I looked up at Professor Lupin, thinking he was being completely serious, but he was looking down at me with a smile. "May I ask you something?"

"Su – sure."

"Did Voldemort attack you that night? Or just Harry?" The smile had disappeared from his face as we began to walk down the hall. He dumped the pieces of cauldron into a trash can. I noticed that we were walking the opposite way from which I had come. It surprised me a bit that he used Voldemort's name.

"Both of us," I replied quietly. "But Harry had it much worse. We were together when he attacked and the curse hit Harry full on. That's why Harry has the scar. Harry likes to joke around a lot and tell me that I got Voldemort's temper… I guess I'm lucky that I wasn't killed."

"Yes, lucky," Professor Lupin nodded. "What are you doing down here anyway?"

"I was – um – I was actually looking for you," I blushed. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"It's about my father. I just wanted to know more about him…" I sighed loudly and Lupin put his hand on my shoulder. He didn't answer me and I began to get frustrated. I jumped out in front of him and he stopped walking. "Please tell me."

Professor Lupin crossed his arms. "You should be getting back to your dorm. You are aware you're in your pajamas, right?"

"Professor, please. I want to know more about my father."

"Come along, then," Professor Lupin took my wrist and he looked around, making sure no other teachers were in the hallways. We speed walked towards his room and he pushed me into his classroom, shutting the door behind us. "What do you want to know about your father, Darcy?"

I shrugged. "I had a dream about him."

"And?"

"No, no, that was a lie," I sighed, breathing in sharply. "Can I ask you something about my father?"

"I guess."

"Did Sirius Black have anything to do with his death?"

Professor Lupin spun around to face me and he slammed a hand onto one of the desks. I jumped and watched him move closer to me.

"Professor," I begged. "Please tell me."

"Sirius led Voldemort to your parents, Darcy! He's a traitor and he betrayed your family!" he slammed his fists onto the desk again and my eyes widened. I jumped once more and took a step backwards towards the door.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," I apologized. "I'll just go back now. I'm tired anyway." I turned around and went to grab the doorknob, but as I touched it, Lupin called me back over.

"I didn't mean to get like that," he said.

We stared at each other for a moment, but then I leaned against the door. "Goodnight, Professor."

_The Next Week…_

"Professor Lupin?" I breathed.

It had been a while since Lupin and I had a serious talk. It had been about a week, actually. I wanted to talk to him about Sirius and my father, but I was too afraid.

I looked behind me and made sure there weren't any professors to watch me follow Lupin down the long, dark corridor. He seemed like he was in a rush and I could tell he was hurrying to get somewhere. I took my flats off, dropping them by a wall, and I tip toed down the hall, keeping up with him.

As he walked outside, I slipped out the door and closed it silently behind me. The full moon was my only source of light and I kept an eye on him. Lupin began to run away from the castle and my legs began to pick up the pace, almost subconsciously. I followed him down towards the forest, sweat beginning to form on my forehead. I watched him cast an immobilization spell on the Whomping Willow and he slipped down a small hole in the base of the tree. Hesitantly, I followed him. I fell, sliding down in the tunnel, trying to contain my shrieks.

I landed on a hard ground and looked around. There was a long flight of stairs and I just caught a glimpse of Lupin as he reached the top and turned the corner. I ran up the stairs, and I held my breath so no one would hear me. My heart pounded in my ears and I heard screaming. Male screaming. I pulled myself up into a small hole in the ceiling and looked around. There were two doors, both closed. I opened the first one, but no one was in there. The second door I opened, I saw Professor Lupin on the ground.

"Professor!" I screeched and I ran over to him, kneeling down beside him and touching his back gently.

"Da – Darcy!" he yelled. "What are you doing here? You _must_ go back to the castle! Leave me alone!"

He pushed me away and I watched in horror as he shook, finally transforming very slowly. I saw what he was. He was a werewolf. He was the one who had to take the Wolfsbane – Snape obviously knew about his condition.

When the transformation was complete, Lupin looked around and when he saw me, he lunged at me and pinned me against the wall, his claws scratching both sides of my face. My brown hair clung to my sweaty face and my heart threatened to burst out of my chest. I was either going to die or become a werewolf. Lupin growled.

"Professor Lupin!" I screamed. "Professor, it's me! It's Darcy!" He scratched at me again, ripping through the cloth on my t-shirt and my skin. "Fuck!" I cried out in pain. He opened his mouth and growled again and then went to bite me, but the door flung open and Professor Lupin was knocked to the ground by a giant, black dog. They rolled around on the ground, biting and scratching each other. My back slid down the wall and I held my knees to my chest.

The two animals were left fighting on the ground and I the big black dog kicked me towards the door. I stood up and closed the door behind me, running down the stairs and exiting the secret passage in the Whomping Willow. A branch came down and smacked me, flinging me further away from the tree.

"DARCY POTTER!" screamed a loud, deep voice. I looked up and saw Professor Snape standing over me. I heard Professor Lupin howl and I scrambled to my feet.

"Sir, you have to get out of here! Professor Lupin just transformed!"

Professor Snape grabbed my arm tightly, stopping me from running back to the castle. "_Darcy, why in God's name would you follow him out here_?" Snape hissed and I breathed heavily, trying to get him to let go of me.

"I didn't know he was a werewolf!" I cried. "I didn't know, honestly!"

"Well, now you do!" Snape yelled, pulling me towards the castle. "How are we supposed to explain _this_ to the whole school, Darcy?" He put his hand to my cheek and pulled it away, showing me the dark red blood dripping down my face.

"How did you know I was out here?" I asked, still being yanked by him. I was still panting and I pushed my hair out of my eyes.

"Well, considering the way you and Lupin talk and look at each other, I figured that when he's gone _and_ you're gone, it's a problem!" he shouted. "You are not to leave this school ever again, is that clear! Are you listening to me, Potter! Never! Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into?"

"Okay! Okay! I didn't know! I was just curious!" I said. "The scars and the behavior and the potion! I was just curious! I knew something was going on!"

Snape pushed me up against the outside wall of the school and I became terrified. I had never really been afraid of Professor Snape, but that suddenly changed. "If any students asks what happened to your face, you are to tell them you fell off your broomstick into the Whomping Willow! If Lupin asks what happened to your face, you are _not_ to tell him!"

"Wh – why can't I tell him?" I asked.

"Because he's been convinced that he's going to end up hurting someone," Snape growled. "And it's finally happened. If he finds out that it's you – his best friend's daughter – he'd go _insane_."

I licked my lips and swallowed the huge lump in my throat. "Didn't he know it was me, Professor? Why did he still attack me?"

"Because you destroyed the Wolfsbane potion! If he had taken it that night, he would have taken it every day the whole week! The potion allows his body to transform, but his mind to stay human. Because he missed that _one_ day, he doesn't know what's going on," Snape pushed me towards the door and we snuck in quietly. "I will take you to the hospital wing and you will _never_ do this again. If I could give the headmaster a legitimate reason, I'd take a thousand points from Gryffindor. Just remember that, Potter."


	5. Feelings

**FEELINGS.**

"Hey, Darcy, where were you yesterday for Defense - Oh my God! What happened to you?"

I glared at Emily and sighed. "Fell off my broomstick," I grumbled. "Into the Whomping Willow."

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. "A fucking _tree_ did that to you? What did you do, Darcy, just stand there and let it attack you?"

"Could you just shut up about it?" I hissed and she looked at my injuries as we walked down the hall. There was a bandage wrapped around my right shoulder, where the cuts were so deep, I couldn't even look at them without gagging. My face was scratched up and there were small Band-Aids taped all over my face, covering the blood. Over all, my face was just really sore.

"Yeah, well, Lupin wasn't in class yesterday, either," Emily continued and my eyes widened.

"Where is he? Is he okay?"

Emily laughed. "Calm down, Darcy, I'm sure he's fine. Snape was our substitute. Why do you care what happened to that man anyway?"

"I just – I think he's a good teacher."

"Do you _fancy_ him?" she teased and I shook my head, entering the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"That's disgusting," I said quietly. As I walked to my seat, Lupin stared at me and we inspected each other's injuries. There was a long, fresh scratch mark across his face and he finally looked away.

When class ended, he called me over to stay after for a little. I bit the inside of my cheek and walked up to his desk. He stood up, a worried look on his face. "What happened to you, Darcy?" he asked.

My breath hitched. He really didn't remember. "I fell off my broomstick into the Whomping Willow yesterday," I lied through clenched teeth.

It was obvious the kind of effect his condition had on him. In the beginning of the year, he looked professional – more so than ever. He slicked his hair back, always seemed cheerful, and he spoke to the class with an upbeat attitude. Lupin changed after the first full moon, or so it seemed. He let his hair fall into his eyes and he always seemed tired and ill. Although, many students still respected him just as much, it was hard for me not to worry about him. He reached up and touched my cheek, but I flinched and backed away. "It hurts, then?" he whispered and I nodded. "The Whomping Willow sure did a number on you."

I nodded slowly.

"When?"

"Two nights ago."

"Two – two nights ago? You shouldn't have been out there two nights ago!" Lupin grabbed my upper arms and pulled me closer to him. I held my breath. "You – you shouldn't be out there any night! You could have gotten even more injured or you could have died! Or – or worse…"

"I don't think there's anything much worse than dying," I said, trying to lighten the mood. Lupin just stared at me, not believing that I was taking the situation so lightly. He still held me tightly, looking seriously into my eyes for a few seconds. He lifted his fingers and traced the scratches on my face and then on my neck. He saw the bandage on my shoulder and all the color drained from his face.

"I did this to you, didn't I?" he said it so quietly, I wasn't sure if he said it at all. He let me go and grabbed his hair, pacing the room. "Oh no… Darcy, no – I'm so sorry… Darcy… Oh no… You have to forgive me… I didn't know what was happening!"

"I know you didn't mean to," I said, nodding. I took his arms like he had taken mine and he breathed heavily. "I followed you out because I wanted to talk to you, but then I saw you screaming and I went over to try and help, but I couldn't. You were in so much pain. And Snape saw me and he told me not to tell anyone, not even you, what really happened to me because you'd feel horrible about what you'd done…"

"He was right!" Lupin yelled. "I – I – don't know what to say, Darcy! I feel terrible!" he pulled away from me. "I have to resign. Oh no… I – you don't know how horrible I feel – especially because I hurt _you_, Darcy! I should have known – I have to leave – why are you still talking to me? Oh no…"

"Why would I stop talking to you?" I snorted and Lupin stopped moving and looked at me with a very confused look in his eyes.

"Because I hurt you, Darcy!"

"That's not a good enough reason for me," I said quietly and his whole body seemed to tense up. He looked away and sighed, staring at the ground. I took a step closer to him and he looked up. I hesitantly and very slowly wrapped my arms around his waist and he immediately wrapped his arms around my shoulders, carefully, so he wouldn't touch my cuts. I rested my head against his chest, listening to his quickening heartbeat.

Our chests moved up and down quickly, in sync. He rested his chin atop my head. "Oh God, what am I doing?" he lifted his head and ripped away from me. "I hurt you and now I'm assaulting you! Oh – I need to leave –"

I pulled out my wand as Lupin was rambling and pointed it at him. "_Silencio_!"

Lupin's mouth continued to move, but no sound came out and he stopped. He looked at me and I smirked and put my wand away.

"I had to get you to shut up so you could listen to me," I told him and I stepped closer to him again. "You can't resign. I forgive you, Professor – I know you didn't mean to hurt me. It was my fault, honestly. I shouldn't have followed you out there. And it was wrong of me for trying to figure out what you were hiding. And you didn't assault me, sir. If you assaulted me, I would have at least attempted to push you off." I decided not to tell him about the dog. It was scary enough as it was; I had never seen a dog that big before.

I wrapped my arms around him again and he held me tightly against his body. A comfortable silence fell over us and I tried to enjoy being held in Lupin's arms. I would never admit it to anyone, but I liked Lupin. I liked being held by him, I liked being with him, and even though he could have killed me, I didn't care. His heart was still racing, but mine had calmed down.

"Professor, I forgive you," I finally said. His heart beat slowed.

_The Next Morning…_

I woke up on the Gryffindor common room's couch. Harry was standing over me. "That's a nasty cut you've got there. And there. Oh, and there, too." He reached out to touch my face, but I smacked his hand away.

"Don't touch it!" I yelled and his eyes widened. "It hurts, idiot."

"What did you get it from?" he asked nosily.

"The Whomping Willow," I answered and I stretched, standing up and noticing that I was still wearing my uniform. I pulled my skirt down and then loosened my tie. I went upstairs and changed into a t-shirt and jeans, going back into the common room, where Harry was still waiting.

"I don't know," he sighed. We walked out of the common room and began walking towards the Great Hall for breakfast, where Emily and her new boyfriend were already seated. "Looks like something scratched you. A cat or a dog. Something with claws – not branches."

"Shut up, Harry," I said, smacking his arm hard. "You don't know anything."

"I know that you were with Professor Lupin yesterday," Harry smirked. I rolled my eyes and he chuckled. "You were in his office. You two spend a lot of time together up there. Some people are starting to think something's going on between you two."

"If you just shut up right now, I'll take you to Hogsmeade later, okay?" I snapped and Harry grinned, nodding.

_Later That Day…_

"How are we getting to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked and I shushed him, running up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. I grabbed the Invisibility Cloak from my trunk and ran back downstairs. We settled on the couch and I pulled a piece of parchment out of my pocket. "What the hell is that?"

"This is our map to Hogsmeade," I explained.

"It's blank," he said.

"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed," I hissed. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." When I tapped it with my wand, writing appeared on the map. I gave it to Harry and he read it.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs… Darcy, what is this?" he asked quietly.

"It's a map," I explained. "Fred and George gave it to me a while ago – when I was in my third year and I couldn't go to Hogsmeade. They said they stole it from Filch's office… anyway; this is a map of Hogwarts. It shows where everyone is at all times."

"Whoa," he breathed.

"Yep. Now listen, Fred, George, and I all recommend this exit – the one eyed witch," I pointed to one of the seven secret passages. "Only Filch knows about these because obviously Filch had the map before. This passage leads directly to the Honeydukes cellar. That's where the cloak comes in."

"Alright, let's go!" Harry pulled me up by the sleeve and we ran over to the one eyed witch statue. It was against a wall and I checked the map to make sure that no one was around.

I tapped the map once more with my wand. "Mischief managed," I said. "Now let's hurry up. I saw Snape headed this way. _Dissendium_." The passage opened up and Harry and I crawled through. It closed behind us. Harry followed me as we walked down the tunnel. It took us about seven minutes, the same amount of time it would take to normally walk down to Hogsmeade.

Light shone through the ceiling after a while and I nodded to Harry and pushed up on the roof. It moved and I hoisted myself up, crawling through small hole and into the cellar of the candy shop. I took Harry's hands and lifted him up. I closed the passageway with the cement block that was hiding it before. "Put the cloak on," I demanded.

"What about you?" he asked, covering himself up. I put a finger to my lips.

"I've done this before. At least if I get caught, you won't get in trouble."

Harry didn't say anything so I reached out for the cloak and grabbed a chunk of it so I knew he was still there. I pulled him towards the wooden stairs and we walked up them, sneaking into the upper floor and into the Honeydukes shop.

I turned around to see a floating lollipop. "Give it back," I said, taking the candy from Harry's hands and giving it back to Neville. "Listen to me," I ripped the cloak off Harry's face so I could see him. "To get back to Hogwarts, go the same way we came. Don't be more than two hours or someone is going to notice we're gone. If I'm not there in two hours, just leave – either I'm running late or I've already gone. Understood?"

Harry nodded.

I smiled and covered him back up. "Do you have any money?"

"Well… no."

I gave him twelve sickles from my pocket and he ran off. I turned and casually strolled down the all magic village of Hogsmeade. When I turned into a shop, I almost ran into someone. "Miss Potter," the man said delightfully. I looked up at a smiling Professor Lupin. "Haven't seen you here before."

"Oh yeah – uh – it's my first time here," I lied.

"I'm not an idiot," he chuckled warmly. "I know you're not supposed to be here."

"Well, I'll go back then –"

"No, I'm not going to get you in trouble," he said and we began to walk. "Would you like to go for a walk?" I laughed, seeing as we already were. "I take it as a yes, then?" He was grinning.

I nodded politely, walking aimlessly through Hogsmeade, until we came to the end of the village. A barbed wire cut us off and about half a mile in front of us was the tall building – the Shrieking Shack. I shuddered at the thought of going there and then cringed when I remembered my night there. Lupin must have caught onto what I was thinking because he sighed deeply and looked at me.

We stood against the fence, staring out at the building. "Let's hope you'll never have to go there again, yeah?" he said.

I toyed with the tassels hanging from my hat. I didn't respond to him – I didn't want to remember that night at all, really.

"Do I scare you?" he asked quietly and I looked up at him, looking his face over. He wasn't horribly ugly, in fact, he was kind of good looking. Why had I just noticed it now, though? I still remained silent. "I don't want you to be afraid of me, Darcy."

"I'm not afraid of you," I croaked, looking back towards the tall, wooden building. "You just – it took me by surprise is all…"

"You were scared."

"I wasn't!" I protested.

"It's okay. I would be scared of me, too," he continued, sighing. "I'm a monster."

"You're not a monster," I told him sternly. "You're just like everyone else. Don't beat yourself up over it. You're not the only person who this happens to. You only transform once a month. The other thirty days, you're a kind, caring, professor…" My voice trailed off and my cheeks turned a bright red. Was that what I thought of him? Was I developing _feelings_ for my professor? "Maybe I should go, I shouldn't be here." I took a step backwards, but Lupin grabbed my wrist and I froze. "Professor…?"

"Sorry," he muttered and he let me go. I watched him carefully. He was staring at the Shrieking Shack.

I sighed. "See you later, Professor."


	6. The Map Never Lies

I knocked on the wooden door. "Come in," Lupin's voice said and I opened it, walking into his office. He looked up and smiled at me. "Darcy! What can I do for you?" He pushed the stack of essays off to the side and I sat down across from him.

I shrugged. "I just got bored."

"What about Miss Emily?" he asked and I shook my head.

"She's with her boyfriend. And I'd rather not hang out with three thirteen year old kids."

"And hanging out with a thirty three year old man is any better?" he smiled and I raised my eyebrows. When he said it, it made him seem so old. He didn't look that old… For a moment, I wondered what my father would have said if he knew I liked his best friend. I looked away. "I'm just kidding, Darcy."

I smiled and looked back up at him. "I don't really have a lot of friends," I admitted. "And don't make fun of me! Don't get me wrong, though… Emily, she's my best friend, but she just gets me so mad. I guess we just have different interests."

"Oh?" he asked and he began to grade his papers again. "And what are your interests?"

I grinned, watching him scribble furiously on the parchment. "I like to read and run. And – um, well, that's about it. But Emily's only interested in guys. She says she's been in love three times! I haven't been in love once and she keeps telling me she'll help me find a guy, but I really don't want her help…"

"You've never been in love?" he asked and he looked up. I shook my head.

"Have you?"

"No," he said quietly, staring at me. "And I think you know why. None of my old girlfriends wanted to put up with my – er – _problem_."

"Did you tell them? Or did you let them find out on their own?" I asked and then I thought that maybe I had gone too far when I saw him shift awkwardly in his chair. "I'm sorry; you don't have to answer that. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine," he gave me a quick smile and then looked back down. "It depended, really. If the girl proved that I could trust her, then I'd tell her, but I'd be dumped right after. I didn't have many girlfriends, anyway."

"I have to go," I said, standing up. Lupin looked up at me for the last time and raised an eyebrow. "I have a lot of homework to do. Happy Halloween, sir."

Lupin waved and I walked out the door of the classroom, only to be greeted by Harry and Emily tugging on my hands. "Darcy, Darcy, come look!" Emily shouted and they pulled me up the marble steps to the Gryffindor's door. The Fat Lady was gone and there were three, long scratch marks on the door.

"What happened?" I asked no one in particular. Several Gryffindor's were huddled around the door, murmuring.

"The Fat Lady's gone," Ron told me and I rolled my eyes. "We can't find her."

"This is ridiculous!" I yelled, seeing Dumbledore climb the stairs out of the corner of my eye. "My books are in there! You have to find her!"

Percy, Dumbledore and Filch searched along the walls, looking in all the portraits for the Fat Lady. The crowd of Gryffindor's followed, waiting to see what had happened. We soon found her hiding in a portrait of a landscape, hiding behind a rock and sobbing.

"Dear Lady," Dumbledore said, stroking his long beard. "Who did this to you?"

She mumbled something that I couldn't hear from the back, but then she yelled, "Sirius Black!" My heart sank and I looked at Harry with fear in both our eyes. Sirius Black was in the castle? My stomach churned and I felt ill.

"Everyone to the Great Hall!" Dumbledore announced and I was pushed down the long hallway, monarch butterflies flying around in my stomach. When the entire student body had arrived, Dumbledore flicked his wand and sleeping bags appeared everywhere. He sorted us by our houses and I chose the sleeping bag next to Harry's, right by the doors.

I looked towards the ceiling and rolled over. McGonagall, Lupin, Snape, and Dumbledore were talking. Percy and the Head Girl walked around, making sure everyone was quiet and sleeping. Three of the professors walked off in different directions, but Lupin walked to the door and sat down. I rolled over to face him. He wasn't too far away, only a few feet.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," he whispered with a weak smile.

I couldn't smile back. I didn't have it in me. "I'm too scared to fall asleep."

I gripped my pillow tightly. "That's why I'm here," he breathed as Percy got closer. "I'm supposed to protect you if Sirius Black comes – which I highly doubt he will."

"You'll protect Harry too?" I asked.

"Oh – er, of course," he chuckled silently. "Don't worry, you're safe here. Trust me?"

"I trust you."

"Shh!" Percy passed me and Lupin snickered quietly. I shook my head and gave him a small smile before closing my eyes.

_The Next Night…_

Emily and Oliver Wood stumbled into the common room at eleven o'clock. She waved at me and they walked up the spiral staircase, kissing each other goodnight and then retreating to their dorms. I turned to Harry, who was beside me reading a book. "I hate him," I whispered, pulling the map from my pocket. I opened it. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

"Why?"

"Because Emily spends all her fucking time with him and I don't have any other friends," I said. Some teachers were patrolling the hallways.

"Maybe if you controlled your temper, you'd have more friends," Harry shot back and I glared at him for a second. He kept reading his book. "I'm just saying."

"Shut up," I said, opening up the map again. I saw footsteps walking on the map and read the name: _Peter Pettigrew_. "Harry?"

He hummed in response.

"Who's Peter Pettigrew? Do you know him?" I asked and then shrugged. "Hmph – must be a first year. Doesn't know he has to be in his –"

"Peter Pettigrew?" Harry asked, ripping the map from my hands. "Darcy, we have to go find him."

"What? Harry? What the hell is going on?"

"I'll tell you on the way. Let's go."

"I'll get the Invisibility Cloak."

When we opened the door, Sir Cadogan yelled at us and I shut him up by casting a silencing spell on his portrait. Harry and I ran down the steps, our feet barely making any noise. With the map in my one hand, my wand lit up in the other, and Harry underneath the Cloak, we ran down the empty corridors.

"Now tell me what's going on," I panted. We slowed to a walk, checking the map again.

"While I was in Hogsmeade, I happened to overhear a conversation about us," he explained. I turned to look at him, but it was no use since he was invisible. "They said that Sirius Black told Voldemort where our parents were hiding. Sirius also killed that street full of Muggles and a man named _Peter Pettigrew_. Only thing they found was his finger!"

I wasn't as surprised just because of Lupin's outburst earlier that year. Peter Pettigrew could have just been a ghost roaming around Hogwarts. "You're saying Pettigrew is _dead_," I repeated. "This map is lying. But I want to – let's keep going."

"Darcy, did you know that Sirius Black is – he's our," he hesitated and I waited patiently for him to finish. "Sirius is our godfather."

I stopped in my tracks. I didn't want to believe it – I couldn't. I needed Professor Lupin – I wanted to talk to him. "Come on, he's getting closer. If a teacher comes, then you need to run back to the common room, okay? If they see you on the map out of your dorm, then we'll both get in trouble."

"Okay."

I stood still and watched Peter Pettigrew's footsteps turn into the hallway I was standing in. My heart raced and I licked my lips as our footsteps grew closer and closer together. I looked around. I should have been able to see him. I walked closer to the footsteps, but when our footsteps on the map met, no one was there. "Harry, he's not here. There's no Peter Pettigrew. The map lied."

"What?"

"Harry, run! Snape's coming!" I heard Harry's soft footsteps ran quickly away from me. "_Nox_. Mischief managed." I shoved the map in my pocket.

At that exact moment, Snape's wand lit up in my face and I was blinded for a minute. "I suppose you were sleepwalking again, Potter?"

I nodded. "Get your wand out of my face," I told him, squinting. He frowned and then lowered his wand to my waist.

"Empty your pockets. Now." I froze and didn't move. "Did you hear me, Darcy? Empty your pockets _now_."

I did as he said and held out the blank map. "It's just some blank parchment," I told him, dangling it between my fingers.

Professor Snape eyed me suspiciously and then said, "Show me your secrets." Writing became visible on the map, but not the same writing that appeared when I opened the map. He raised his eyebrows. "Well, Potter? Read it to me."

My eyes widened. "Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape," I hesitated and Snape told me to continue. "And begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other peoples business." Before I could look up, more writing became visible. Snape looked dumbstruck. "Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git…"

"Why you little –" Snape yelled and raised his wand to my face again, tearing the map away from my hands.

"Professor?" Lupin's figure became visible in the light of Snape's wand and I sighed. It was a repeat of the night I had knocked over the potion. I only hoped that Lupin would cover for me again. "What are you two doing here?"

"Look at this," Snape snarled, shoving the map into Lupin's chest. Lupin took it and looked it over, smiling as he read it. "It seems to be your area of expertise – who knows what kind of Dark Magic Spells are hidden in that –"

"Relax, Severus," Lupin laughed. I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile. "It seems like a prank map that insults whoever tries to take it…" Snape tried to take the map away, but Lupin pulled it back just in time. "But like you said, it is my area of expertise… Come with me, Darcy."

I nodded and followed Professor Lupin down the corridor, catching a glimpse of Snape's cold, hard, black eyes. As we entered Lupin's classroom, he walked down to the front desk and held the map up. He slammed it down on the desk.

"I am – I am…" he crossed his arms and began to pace. "I am disappointed that you didn't hand this in! Do you have any idea what could happen if this map fell into the hands of Sirius Black?"

I shook my head and slumped my shoulders, looking at the ground.

"If Sirius Black were to ever get his hands on this –" Professor Lupin stood right in front of me. "He'd be led directly to Harry. And – and _you_."

I refused to look up at him.

"He could kill you, Darcy…"

I finally looked up when he said my name. "I'm sorry, I didn't know," I said quietly, and then I looked back down. "I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right you weren't thinking," Lupin sighed. "Darcy, look at me. The last thing I want is for you to be hurt because of a stupid mistake like this." We looked at each other and I realized how close his face was to mine. "Go back to your dormitory. Go back there and stay there, okay?"

I nodded and hopped off the desk. Our bodies touched and I turned a bright shade of red. I cleared my throat as I touched the doorknob. "Professor Lupin?" I said and he raised his eyebrows. "I just – I don't think that map works very well sometimes. I mean, I went out because I saw Peter Pettigrew moving on the map, but when our footsteps collided, he wasn't there. No one was."

Lupin didn't say anything, he just stared at me.

"Goodnight, Professor."


	7. Holidays at the Burrow

**HOLIDAYS AT THE BURROW.**

I was struck ill a few days before the holidays began and for two days, I was stuck in my bed, reading books and listening to music. On the second day, Max flew to the window and sat on my bed, dropping an envelope in my hand. I sat up and opened it, and smiled.

_Dear Darcy,_

_Emily tells me you're sick. Meet me right outside the Gryffindor portrait hole tonight at eleven thirty._

_Professor Lupin_

I smiled wide and stuffed the letter underneath my bed so no one would see.

At eleven thirty exactly, I wrapped a sheet around my shoulders and snuck down to the common room, where the fire was still going. I opened the portrait hole and the Fat Lady smiled at me and held the door open for a few minutes. Professor Lupin was already waiting outside for me, a cup of steaming tea in his hands.

"I thought it'd help," he said, handing it to me with a smile. "It's green tea. I hear it's good for you when you're sick."

"Oh, thank you, green tea is my favorite," I said warmly. "Wow, thanks, sir."

Lupin nodded. "Before I go," he paused and cleared his throat. "Um – what are your plans for the holidays? Are you er – are you going somewhere? Or staying here?"

I smiled wider. "I think I'm going to the Burrow, just like last year," I hesitated. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley love you – Professor, come with me."

Lupin's mouth dropped a little and he stuttered. "I couldn't possibly –"

"Please?" I pleaded and he smiled.

"Okay."

"Great. I'll write the Weasleys as soon as I get upstairs. Goodnight, Professor."

"Night, love."

_Three Days Later…_

"Are you coming back to our house for Christmas?" Ron asked me as I stuffed some pudding into my mouth. I nodded. "You know what's weird? Mum wrote me earlier today saying that she invited Professor Lupin."

"Really?" I asked and Hermione looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Speak of the devil…" Ron said, pointing towards Lupin. He was walking towards the giant doors of the Great Hall, walking with a limp. It seemed like he was trying to hide it, but I could tell he was in pain. He looked to his left and our eyes met for a brief moment. There were fresh cuts on his face. When he left the Great Hall, I waited a minute or two and then wiped my mouth.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I said, but it sounded more like a question. The three stared at me, but I got up anyway and headed towards the doors, opening them and closing them behind me. Professor Snape watched me leave. I ran down the hallway. "Professor Lupin?"

I ran to the end of the hallway and turned the corner. Professor Lupin was leaning up against a wall, his eyes closed.

"Professor Lupin," I said and I ran up to him. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly. "You should be sitting down. Or resting."

Lupin nodded. "Yes, yes," he pointed to a broom closet across the hall. "Let's go in there. I don't want anyone to see us and suspect something's going on."

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Darcy," Lupin said and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, limping over towards the door. I opened up the closet door and then shut it. Lupin sat down and sighed. I knelt down beside him.

"I hate seeing you like this," I said quietly. I didn't mean for him to hear it, but he did anyway and he flashed me a small smile.

He looked up into my green eyes. "I'm fine," he said.

"No, you're not," I insisted and I reached out, but then put my arm back down. I summoned up the courage again and reached out and touched his face gingerly, running my thumb over his scars and cuts. Touching them didn't seem to bother him, but he was a man and I assumed he could cover up his pain quite well.

"Darcy, I'm sorry, but I doubt you could help heal me up," he said, still smiling and looking at me. "I'll have Madam Pomfrey help me. Just give me a second to get up."

"What happened?"

Professor Lupin's happy look turned into a serious one, but he never looked away.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," I looked away and sat beside him, distancing myself from him a little bit. I didn't want to sit too close to him and make it seem like I was desperate and I certainly didn't want to be too upfront about my feelings for him.

"I don't want you to worry about me," said Lupin quietly. "Because I'm fine. I'm worried about _you_. I'm terrified that I'm going to hurt you."

"You aren't going to hurt me! And even if you did, I wouldn't care!" I stood up and started pacing around in the small broom closet. "I wouldn't care at all, actually."

Lupin smiled and watched me pace. "I wish I wasn't – well – what I am," he told me, his voice hushed. "Or, I wish you didn't know."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to be afraid of me," he breathed. I stopped moving and kneeled down in front of him. His eyebrows raised and I licked my lips, looking right into his eyes.

"Professor Lupin, for the last time, I am not afraid of you. I will never be afraid of you. I never will be."

"You lie."

"I wouldn't lie to you, sir."

_At the Burrow…_

After arriving at the Weasley's, I took a well needed three hour nap. I woke up and grabbed a big coat and a hat and gloves, and then walked into the kitchen, where Lupin was drinking tea. I jumped. "You're finally awake," he grinned. "Where are you going?"

"I was just going to go for a walk," I shrugged.

Lupin jumped to his feet. "I couldn't possibly let you go out by yourself with Sirius Black on the loose," he said, grabbing his coat. "Let me go with you." I smiled and then he opened the front door for me, closing it after him. "How come you aren't with Harry and Ron and Hermione?"

"I guess I'd rather spend time with you," I said very quietly.

"What's that?" he asked, looking at me. I knew he heard me.

"Nothing," I replied quickly. We walked into a small field and he found a large rock to sit on. I climbed up a small tree and sat on a thick, sturdy branch. He smiled up at me. "What would you do if this branch broke and I fell?" My voice echoed and I swung my dangling legs back and forth. I wasn't that high off the ground, only about five or six feet.

"I'd have to save you, yeah?" he answered, looking up. "Although, the snow would probably break your fall."

I decided to make this a game. I smirked to myself. "And what if I was so high up in the tree that I would die if I hit the ground?"

"I'd catch you."

"What if we weren't together for the holidays? What if I had come without you?"

"I'd be a bit disappointed and rather lonely."

I breathed in. "What if I was a – a – you know – a –"

"What if you were like me?" he asked seriously and he looked up at me. I nodded slowly. "You don't want to be like me, Darcy. No one wants to be like me."

"I do," I said, slipping down from the tree branch. I stood in front of him. His eyes were piercing mine and I simply shrugged. "I really do."

"Why the hell would you even think about that?" he asked and gave me a dumbfounded look.

I frowned. "So you wouldn't have to be so worried about me."

"Darcy, if you were – like me – I'd be even more worried about you!" he exclaimed. "Not only would I have to worry about _me_ hurting you, but I'd be worried about _you_ hurting you! I don't want you to be hurt at all! It kills me, Darcy."

I was speechless. "Professor Lupin…"

"If you think I'm going to turn you into a werewolf, then you're sadly mistaken. I would never," he breathed, touching my arms. "And don't bring it up again. I worry about you, Darcy. I care about you." He stood up from the rock he was sitting on.

His arms folded around my body and I got closer to him, hugging him around his neck. I placed my head on his chest and I closed my eyes. Lupin brushed the hair out of my face and kissed the small part of my forehead that wasn't covered by my hat. I felt my whole body got hot and I looked away.

I looked around. We were so deep in the field that no one would be able to spy on us. I stood on my tip toes, staring into his eyes and licking my lips. His arms were still wrapped tightly around me and I swallowed the lump in my throat. Slowly, gently, and shyly, I kissed the corner of his mouth, trying to see if he'd kiss me back. To my disappointment, he didn't, but he allowed me to kiss him.

I pulled away and we stared at each other. He looked sadly down at me. "It's getting cold out," he stated quietly, closing his eyes. I stepped backwards and we let go of each other. "We should be getting back – I don't want you getting sick."

I nodded and he walked beside me, our bodies brushing against each other. I got tired of being teased, so I stepped away, placing a good amount of distance between us.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked politely. I shook my head, stuffing my hands in my pockets. I ignored him and looked the other way. "What – Darcy, why are you ignoring me?" he asked, stepping closer to me, but I took another step away.

I stepped forward so he was following me.

"Darcy, what is going on? Why are you so pissed off at me all of a sudden?"

Still no answer.

"Darcy? Answer me, Darcy."

Still nothing.

"Darcy Potter."

Don't crack, don't crack, don't crack.

Finally, Professor Lupin grabbed my arm and spun me around. "Darcy, what did I do? I haven't done anything to upset you!"

"It's nothing!" I replied, turning away from him. He caught me again and held me tightly with both hands. I looked down to the ground. When he pulled me closer to him, I listened to his heartbeat.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Darcy," Professor Lupin whispered, resting his chin on top of my head. "Don't think I'm teasing you, because I'm not, I swear!"

I didn't say anything. I didn't want him to think he had me all figured out.

"But you don't realize all the factors going into this! If anyone figures out we're having… inappropriate relations, I'll be fired! We can't have that, Darcy. If we're going to do that, then we'll have to wait until the end of the year, love…"

When I didn't answer, he sighed heavily.

"Darcy, there's so many things that are wrong with this," he began. "There's the whole fact that I'm your professor and I'm far – I'm _much_ too old for you, and I'm – I'm – well, you know what I am."

I still didn't respond to him, I just hugged him tightly.

Finally, Lupin touched my chin gently and lifted my face so I would look at him. "But I suppose," he sighed. "Rules are meant to be broken."

And he leaned in a kissed me.

_The Next Morning…_

I woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast being made. I let out a soft moan and rolled over, trying to get comfortable again and fall back asleep. I felt someone sit on my bed and I felt the pressure beside me. I grabbed my wand from the bedside table and pressed it to the person's neck.

I realized it was only Professor Lupin. I smiled and he took my hand in his, lowering my wand. I blushed, realizing I was sleeping in a very revealing tank top. I covered my chest with my blanket. "You should be more careful about what you sleep in when you're in a house full of guys," he grinned. "You never know which one of them would want to watch you sleep."

"What about you?" I said. "You just snuck in here to watch me sleep." I kind of wanted to be able to wake up to him every morning. It was nice seeing his face first thing in the morning.

"Breakfast is ready. You're the last one awake," he told me, standing up. He gave me a reassuring smile and part of me ached. I desperately wanted him to kiss me again, but I doubted that he would. I licked my lips and chewed the inside of my cheek as he looked at me thoughtfully. "I'm going to go change into some real clothes. I'll be down in a few seconds."

As he left the bedroom, I jumped off the bed and grabbed the Invisibility Cloak from my trunk. I wrapped it around me and opened the door, shutting it quietly behind me as I stepped into the hallway. I quickly moved out of the way as Ron walked past me. I followed Lupin upstairs into the guest room. I wanted to know what he thought about me – it was killing me. When he opened his door, he walked slowly into the room and I moved as close to him as possible so I could sneak in behind him.

He shut the door and his hand just barely grazed my cloak. He froze, looking around. I held my breath and he reached out, grabbing the cloak and tearing it off me, smiling widely. "Invisibility Cloak," he laughed. "This was your father's."

I wrapped my arms around me and looked away, embarrassed.

"I'm not mad, you know."

"Sorry, I'll leave," I said.

"You must be really lonely that you have to talk to me in your spare time," he sighed and I looked at him, my eyebrows raised. I wasn't sure if it was an insult or not.

"I'm not lonely! What's wrong with just wanting to spend time with you?" I protested, stamping my foot like a child. "What's wrong with that?"

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's just… I'm me and – and you're you."

"What does that mean?"

"Darcy, we've been over this before. The student-teacher relationship, the age factor, and my huge problem," he sighed. "Don't you have friends that are normal and your age in school?"

I stared at him for a moment and then looked away, my cheeks turning a bright shade of red. I did have friends, but it was the fact that he thought I was crazy for wanting to spend time with him – that embarrassed me. "Do you not want to spend time with me?" I asked. "If you thought this was wrong, you wouldn't have come here! You wouldn't have kissed me and you wouldn't have looked at me like you do and led me on like you did –"

"Please come here," he begged and I stood still. He held out his finger and beckoned me closer.

I did as he told me and he sat on the edge of his bed. He was almost as tall as me when he sat and I stood. Lupin put his hands on my shoulders and ran his fingers down my arms. He then wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him; my heart was racing and my hands trembled as I ran my fingers through his hair.

He traced my spine with his fingers and my toes curled as he tucked some of my hair behind my ear. He held me out in front of him, caressing my cheek with his calloused thumb. I felt my face burn up in embarrassment as he stood up, towering over me. Lupin bent down, his lips only centimeters from mine. I didn't even close my eyes – I wasn't expecting him to kiss me.

I breathed in slowly and stared at his lips. He began to say something, but there was a knock on the door and he pushed me away immediately. I grabbed the Invisibility Cloak. Mrs. Weasley spoke. "Remus? Have you seen Darcy? Hurry on down to breakfast – it'll get cold."


	8. Suspicions

**SUSPICIONS. **

"Bloody hell, Darcy!" Ron shouted and as I walked down in the stairs in my thin strap tank stop, I noticed Ron staring at my shoulder. My face turned red as I realized that the scratches I had gotten from Lupin were still there and were scarring. "What'd you do to your shoulder?"

Hermione was the second person to look up and her eyes studied my shoulder and then flicked to Lupin's face, and then finally back to my shoulder. Her eyes narrowed and I sat down at the breakfast table beside Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was staring at me, as well. "Darcy, what happened?"

"Whomping Willow," I replied calmly, not looking up from my pancakes. "I fell off my broomstick and it cut me up real bad."

Lupin, who was across from me, tensed up, looking at me. I smiled weakly at him. "You should be more careful," Hermione added and I raised my eyebrow.

I raised my eyebrows and sneered. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

_Later That Day…_

I was reading, my head resting on Lupin's chest, tucked comfortably underneath the blankets on his bed. He was stroking my hair, his eyes closed. "I just don't understand it," he said quietly and I folded the corner of the page down, closing my book and looking up at him.

"Understand what?" I asked. I wanted him to kiss me. I would have done it myself, but I was too afraid of being rejected.

"How someone like you would want to spend time with someone like me."

"Someone like you, Darcy. A beautiful, eighteen year old student, who's bright, loves to read, and is down to earth…"

I hesitated. "What about you?"

"You are fully aware of what I mean when I say 'someone like me'," he said quietly and I nodded, looking away for a second, and then back up at him.

"Professor Lupin?" I asked. My hands found their way around his neck and he raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to continue. "Can I – can I please kiss you?"

He smiled sweetly and moved his face closer to mine. First, his lips just barely touched mine, and then he pulled away. But after two more seconds of waiting, I finally got the kiss from him that my heart hungered for. Our lips were pressed firmly against one another's and our mouths opened and closed slowly. My fingers ran through his hair and his hands held my face.

I was having a hard time keeping up with the kiss just because I found it hard to breathe with my heart pounding so hard. My chest heaved heavily.

Unfortunately, he pulled away and I stared at him, my eyes wide. Professor Lupin smiled and hugged me tightly to his body and I was, in that moment, the happiest girl alive.

_Later That Day…_

"Going to bed, Mrs. Weasley?" I asked as she passed me, walking up the stairs as I was walking down. She nodded.

"Are you enjoying your break?" she asked politely as I reached the bottom of the long, wooden staircase. I nodded again and she smiled. "That's good. Hermione, Ron, and Harry are still in the sitting room, sweetheart."

"Oh, alright," I said and she continued up the stairs to her bedroom. I grabbed a glass, pouring some eggnog into it, and then I walked into the sitting room. Hermione was reading, Ron was lying down on the floor in front of the fire, and Harry was petting Hedwig. I raised my eyebrows. "Hey."

None of them answered me. Ron glanced at me, but Harry and Hermione didn't even flinch.

"I said 'hey'," I replied, a little annoyed. Still, I received no response. "What the fuck – did I do something wrong?"

"We saw you," Ron said calmly. "We all saw you snogging him."

"Who? What are you talking about?" I growled. I gripped my glass tighter in my hand and licked my lips, trying to stay calm. "I haven't kissed anyone since like, my fifth year."

"You're lying," Harry spat and I took my wand out of my pants, ready to jinx him. "I _saw_ you!"

"Shut up! Don't talk to me like that!" I yelled and pointed my wand at him.

"That's a cheap shot!" he shouted back. "You know I'm not allowed to use magic outside of school!"

I opened my mouth to cast a spell, but I heard someone walk calmly down the stairs. I turned around to see Lupin walking past me. He saw me and smiled, walking into the living room where the four of us were. He saw me with my wand out and raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?" he asked, lowering my wand for me. My face was burning with embarrassment and I was sure I was about to shatter the glass in my hand. "What's going on?"

"We – we _saw_ you and you _cannot _deny it!" Harry yelled and I glared at him. Lupin looked slightly amused. Apparently, he could hide it better than I could. "We saw you kiss! Outside! We were under the Invisibility Cloak!"

"_You were spying on us_?" I screamed and more footsteps came down the stairs. The three third years flushed scarlet and Mrs. and Mr. Weasley appeared behind me, followed by Fred and George, and then Ginny. They hid by the staircase, listening to our whole conversation. "Harry, you – you are unbelievable! And that's _my_ cloak! How _dare_ you spy on me with _my_ cloak?"

Harry's jaw locked and Hermione tried to concentrate on her book. Ron breathed in deeply and looked from me to Harry and then to Lupin. Lupin looked strangely calm. "Alright, alright, what's going on? Who's spying on whom?" Mrs. Weasley tried to break up the fight, but she did no good.

"Them! _Them_!" Harry screeched, pointing his index finger at me and Lupin. I almost wanted to dump the eggnog on his head, but instead I took my wand out again. "I saw them –"

A blast of blue light shot from my wand, sending Harry back into the wall. He knocked over a light and then shook his head, groaning in pain. I pointed my wand at my eggnog and made it float in the air, all the way over to Harry. I flipped my wrist and the cup dumped its contents on Harry's head. Hermione and Ron ran to his side, cleaning him up, and I turned on my heels to leave, but Mr. Weasley caught me, forcing me back into the living room. He threw me on the couch. "What the bloody hell is going on here?" he demanded and Hermione looked up at him. I sighed and looked at her with pleading eyes – she was a girl and I hoped she would understand.

"It's nothing, sir," she said quietly. "It's just, you know, brother and sister quarrelling."

Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrow. Mrs. Weasley spoke with her arms crossed. "There will be _no_ more usage of spells in _this_ house," she said in a very motherly tone. "Darcy, apologize to Harry."

I didn't say anything, I just stared at him.

"Darcy," she continued. "Apologize to him _now_."

"Not unless he apologizes first!" I shouted and she opened her mouth again.

"Darcy, just apologize to him," said Lupin from behind and I looked up at him. His tone was cold and I sighed, defeated. Everyone was staring at me, waiting to see if I'd apologize to my brother just because Lupin told me to.

"I'm sorry," I muttered and I stood up, pushing past Lupin and Fred and George and walking to the front door. I slammed it behind me and sat in the front yard, fuming. I heard the door open and close and I spun around. Lupin stood there, his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised. "Go away."

"Why?"

"Because you just embarrassed me in there," I replied.

"How?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "By making you apologize? Is that how I embarrassed you? You obviously weren't going to do it when Molly asked you to."

"You treated me like a child!" I protested, even though I knew that he was probably right. I was overreacting, but I wouldn't admit it. "I would have apologized on my own. Besides, he deserved it."

"That's all you've got to say? He deserved it? Darcy, you just hurt your brother for nothing," he said, not raising his voice at all. "He was just looking out for you. What would you do if you knew your brother was – was – _involved_ with someone much older than him? He was just being protective!"

"But he was going to tell everyone!" I said.

"If you're so terrified of people finding out about us, then maybe we shouldn't be doing this," he told me and I swallowed. "_I_ should be the one who's terrified. I could get fired for this. I could get into _a lot_ of trouble, but you don't see me out here sulking, yeah? I wouldn't have treated you like a child if you had just acted like an adult."

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily.

"Like right now. You're acting like a child. Darcy," he shrugged and I turned back around so I wouldn't have to look at him. "I don't want anything to do with _children_. I thought you were an adult."

"I am!" I squeaked, turning back to him. "I'm not a child, Professor! I'm an adult!"

Both of us cringed at the sound of it. Professor. I stood up and with shaky knees, I walked over to him. He stroked my hair and then tucked it behind my ears, kissing my forehead. "Let's get to bed. It's getting late."

He went to turn around to go back inside, but I took his hands and he looked at me. "Um," I hesitated and looked away and then back up at him. "Do I – should I – what about Harry? Am I supposed to tell him about us? Or should we just keep it a secret from everyone?"

"I am not going to tell you what to do. You're mature enough to think for yourself. Don't you think?" he asked with a big sigh. "If you feel that Harry could keep it to himself and if you think Harry deserves to know, then you should tell him. But if you don't want to tell anyone, you don't have to." There was a long silence. "Judging by the way you acted inside when Harry had suspicions about us, I don't think you should tell him, but you do what you want."

I smiled up at him, admiring him. He kissed me chastely and then pulled me inside, letting go of my hands as we walked up the stairs. His room was first and we stopped outside his door. He smiled weakly and hugged me tightly, kissing the top of my head.

When we retreated to his bedroom, I walked past my own room, up the flight of stairs and knocked on Harry and Ron's door. Hermione opened it and then looked to the ground, returning to the foot of the bed, where she had been before, talking to Ron and Harry. I joined the three on the bed and crossed my legs.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly to Harry. He grinned. I never really apologized to my brother, I was too proud to apologize to anyone. "I hope I didn't hurt you too badly."

Harry smirked and looked me in the eyes. "After it happening quite a few times before, the pain doesn't seem as horrible," he chuckled. "Maybe a bruise on my back and my hair will definitely smell like eggnog for maybe a day or two… Sorry about you know, spying…"

"There's really nothing going on between us," I said suddenly and Hermione narrowed her eyes. Ron looked at me and Harry raised his eyebrows. "I just – I thought – he never kissed me back – it was my fault – I'm so embarrassed…"

I ran my fingers through my hair. "Okay, I may be thirteen, but I'm no idiot," Harry retorted, sounding a bit offended. "That wasn't just a kiss that was like a – a –" He looked at Ron, who stuck his tongue out and I bit my tongue and sat on my hands so I wouldn't blast him to bits.

"Okay, so maybe he _did_ kiss me back!" I said quietly. "But I mean, it was a onetime thing! It's not every day that I meet someone I can actually talk to. He's just so – we can relate to each other…"

"You can talk to us!" Hermione said.

"But you're thirteen years old –"

"And he's like, forty!" Ron replied.

"No, he's thirty three," I snapped and Ron shook his head, looking rather disgusted. "It's different, you know. I'm not a child, I'm an adult."

"But just think about it…" Hermione began, shrugging. She, out of all people, knew not to get on my bad side. "I mean, he's thirty three and you're eighteen and you are not ugly, Darcy. Did you ever think that maybe –"

"No, I haven't thought that," I replied with a cold tone. She bit her lip and backed down. "Because he's not using me if that's what you're thinking. Besides, what would you know about this? You are _children_."

"We're just making sure that you don't get hurt," Harry said and Ron and Hermione nodded.

"Look, I trust you that you'll keep this between yourselves. Please don't tell _anyone_. I'm begging you – I'll get on my knees if it'll help…"

"There's no need for that," Harry snorted.

"Yeah, we won't tell anyone," Ron added and I smiled weakly and stood up, backing out of their room and returning to my own.


	9. Assumptions

**okay, so i'm really sorry i didn't update, but my computer wasn't working. i'm actually uploading this from my godfather's house as he fixes up my laptop and makes dinner. but here it is. (:**

**ASSUMPTIONS.**

"Hey," I knocked softly on Lupin's door and crept in. He was in the middle of changing and I blushed like mad. He turned around as he was taking his shirt off and he grinned. "I'm so sorry –"

"No, no, it's fine," he replied quietly so he wouldn't wake Fred and George, whose room was right next to Lupin's. He threw his shirt to the side and walked over to his bed. "I was just going to bed."

"Oh, then I'll be saying goodnight. Goodnight, Professor." Again, the awkward silence fell over us when I called him 'professor'. He stared at me and smiled, picking up a book that was on the bedside table. He sat down on his bed, on top of the blankets, in long, gray sweatpants.

"I'm not going to _sleep_ yet," he told me and I entered the room completely, shutting the door silently. I leaned against the door and crossed my arms. "Come sit with me," he moved over on the bed so there was room for my small figure to lie beside him. I walked over to him and crawled under the covers.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I rested my head on his chest, my heart throbbing loudly. His thumb caressed my bare shoulder and I closed my eyes.

I woke up later that night in Lupin's bed still. I remembered that I had fallen asleep what seemed like a long time ago and when I looked out the window, the sky was pitch dark and lit by the crescent moon. Lupin's arm was still around me and my arm was wrapped around his flat stomach. He was still reading his book with the dim lamp on the table lighting half his face.

My eyes widened when I realized what I was doing and I jumped up, rubbing my eyes and trying to avoid looking at his build. "I – um – I should – I should get back to my room," I ripped the covers off my body and I heard Lupin's book slam shut and his arm snaked around my waist, pulling me back. "Professor Lupin…"

I didn't mind him holding me against his body. While I was underneath the blankets, he was still on top of them. I wanted him to climb under the blankets with me, but my brain told me it was wrong. Who cared what my brain wanted?

I shifted in his grasp, finding his lips in the dark and kissing him hard. I felt him smile and I pulled away. "Whoa," he breathed. "What was that all about?"

I shrugged and smiled, blushing again. When I didn't answer, he kissed me again, slowly, his lips opening and closing on my bottom lip. His hand was pressed against the small of my back and he was pushing me closer to his body. I touched his shoulders and he pulled away. "What?" I asked quietly.

"Do you think we should be doing this?" he whispered. "I mean – with everyone here…"

"Um," I hesitated and sat up on my knees. "I'll go back to my bedroom and go to sleep. Goodnight –"

"No," he said, taking my waist once more. "Stay here with me tonight. It's just sleeping – it's not like we're doing anything, right?"

I looked at him carefully and laid back down slowly.

"Can I ask you something?" he whispered and I nodded. "What exactly did you tell Molly in your letter that made her want to ask me to stay here?"

I smiled. "I told her that you looked awfully alone and you looked very 'sick' so someone should look after you. I told her that you didn't have anywhere else to go." He chuckled and his chest rose underneath my head. My trembling hands wrapped around his hot stomach and he took my hands in his, shutting the table lamp out and falling asleep. "She doesn't know that I know that you're a werewolf." I said it in a hushed tone and he stroked my hair.

"Are you cold?"

"What?"

"Are you cold? Because you're shivering," he said, touching my hands. They were actually shaking terribly, but not because of the cold.

"Y – yeah, a little," I faltered, begging my hands to stay still. "But it's alright, I'll be okay."

Lupin shifted a little so he was underneath the heavy blankets and my body became immediately hot and he breathed out loudly. His arm moved from my shoulders and slid down to my waist and I snuggled against his chest without hesitation.

_The Next Morning…_

When I woke up, I rolled over, but Lupin wasn't in bed anymore. I sighed and shut my eyes tight again when realization struck me. I had slept with my professor – well, I fell asleep in the same bed. I threw the blankets off me and stood up, wrapping my arms around my torso. I exited the room cautiously, making sure no one would see me come out of Lupin's room. When I didn't see anyone, I walked down the stairs and Mrs. Weasley beamed at me. Lupin was already at the breakfast table, eating some more sausages that Mrs. Weasley was forcing him to eat. His sandy brown hair was stuck up in all directions and he had thrown a shirt on.

"Come here, come here, Darcy! You're the last one up!" she exclaimed, waving her wand so a plate appeared on the table. I sat down. "You should eat, here; you've got no meat on your bones! Either of you! I knocked on your door, but you didn't answer. I thought you had left or something."

"Oh, I was just in the bathroom, probably," I replied, picking at the sausage in front of me. "I uh – just wasn't feeling too good last night."

"Are you feeling better?" Lupin asked, not looking up from his food.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Mrs. Weasley nodded and looked at me. "Yes, I'm fine," I replied. Lupin looked up and smiled sweetly at me. "I'm not all that hungry, actually, Mrs. Weasley. I was going to go for a walk this morning."

"A walk? With Sirius Black on the loose?" Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms and took my plate. "I don't think that's a great idea."

"But Sirius Black wouldn't be –"

"You don't know where he could be."

"He's around Hogwarts because of the –"

"What if he followed you?"

"I'll go with her Molly," Lupin said and Mrs. Weasley smiled at him as if she was a proud mother. "I'll make sure Black stays far away from her. I need my best student to return to Hogwarts for her last year."

"See? You could go for a walk with Rem – er – Professor Lupin," Mrs. Weasley said and I stood up, not answering her. What was I thinking? I wasn't even allowed to call him by his first name and I was already sleeping in a bed with him. "Darcy? Are you alright?"

As I grabbed my coat off the coat rack, I sighed and slipped my clogs on. I reached for the door. "Well?" I asked Lupin. "Are you coming?"

Lupin nodded and put his shoes on, slipped his coat on and then followed me out the door. We walked into the field that we had walked through before and he let me hold onto his arm as we walked slowly. We stopped at that familiar rock and tree and I climbed up to the branch, watching him as he painfully sat on the rock. "I wanted to talk to you about something," I began and he looked up at me.

"What's that?"

"Professor Lupin, you must turn me into a werewolf," I said quietly and once again, he cringed as I said 'professor'. "You have to! You won't hurt anyone else – I'll come up to the Shrieking Shack and –"

"Are you insane, Darcy?" he gasped and then frowned. "You're being ridiculous! I will never do that to you! Do you think it'd be _fun_ to be a werewolf? What are you getting at? Why do you even think about being something like me?"

"Because I'm alone!" I spat. "I'm all alone and you – you're the one person that I always want to spend time with! If I'm a – a werewolf, then I can be with you and you can be with me when it happens. We'll be together when we have to go through it!"

"You are never going to go through this. I won't let it happen," Lupin stated firmly and I shook my head and bit my lip. "Besides, I take Wolfsbane – you know what that does. I can't turn you into a werewolf in my human form and I certainly won't bite you if I'm transformed and if I've taken my potion."

"Please," I replied quietly.

"No," he looked away from me. "And that's the last time I'm going to tell you."

"Please just tell me why."

Lupin stood up and I slid down from the tree. I stood up tall in front of him, although I wasn't that big compared to him. He took my arms like he always did when he was frustrated. "Because it'll hurt you. You could hurt yourself when you're transformed! Darcy, _I_ could hurt you and if I hurt you, I could never ever forgive myself! Remember what I did to you that one night?" I nodded and he sighed, pulling back my coat and looking at my scarred shoulder. He hugged me tightly. "Darcy, I just can't. I know you think that I'll appreciate it if you became one of – of – you know, and I appreciate the thought, but I can't have you risk getting hurt or even killed!"

"What does it matter?" I snapped. "I'm all alone. I have no one to talk to! I can't talk to Harry – he doesn't understand what I'm going through. And why would he want to listen to my problems? Still, I stick with him! I helped him defeat Voldemort and I pretty killed that fucking snake last year! Professor Lupin, please!"

Lupin took my hands and I was breathing heavily. "I don't see why you want to be a werewolf. With all the prejudice against them. And it's only one night a month – it's like you won't even notice I'm gone."

I raised an eyebrow. "Notice you're gone from where?" I asked and Lupin shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. It's not going to happen. You've got to become an Auror and if you were _like me_, then you wouldn't be able to. They wouldn't let you anywhere near the Ministry," he sighed heavily. "They wouldn't even let you near the Ministry if you were _with_ me."

I looked him over very carefully, examining each faded pink scar on his face. I looked up into his eyes and he smiled slightly. He laced our fingers together and I looked down at our hands. He brought mine up to his lips and kissed my fingers gently.

"You still want to become an Auror, don't you?"

"Of course," I replied quietly. Lupin kissed my forehead. "You think I'll really pass the tests?"

Lupin nodded slowly and smiled. "I think it'll be very easy for you. You're a brilliant witch," he told me and I grinned. "Just like your mother and father."

"You know what I'm going to do when I'm older?" I said and Lupin shrugged. "I'm going to get a job at the Ministry and I'm going to get rid of all the anti-werewolf laws."

Lupin raised his eyebrow. "Why would you do that?"

I laughed quietly to myself. "I don't see why you should be kept from everything I am."

"But you do realize that people like – like the werewolf who bit me – he could have the same rights and everything I would have?"

"But let's say he applied for a job at Hogwarts – Dumbledore would know not to take him!" I said. "I'm positive that Dumbledore could sort the good werewolves from the bad ones. It's just like sorting criminals from non-criminals! You're thinking too much."

Lupin stared at me and I raised my eyebrows.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking at you."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I said, a smile forming on my lips.

Lupin shrugged. "I don't know. Am I not allowed to look at you?"

I smiled bigger. "No, you're allowed to look at me," I replied quietly and he sighed.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked. I nodded. "I'm still trying to figure you out. When you're with other people, when you're in school, you seem so aggressive and – I don't know – you seem a lot more like your father. You sneak around, don't care about rules, and you're awfully defensive," he looked down at me like he was expecting me to hit him or something. "But when you're with me… you're more like Lily was. You're – you're –"

"I know what you mean," I said. He let go of my hands and crossed his arms. "Is that bad?"

"It's not bad," he shrugged. "I just can't figure you out. What are you _really_ like?"

"I don't know."

"You know what you're really like, Darcy."

"I don't."

"You're just being stubborn."

"Well then maybe I'm stubborn! Maybe that's what I'm really like."

Lupin's forehead creased as he looked down at me, clearly frustrated, although he would never admit it. "A little, perhaps," he agreed. "But I don't think that's what you're really like. Are you being yourself with me? Answer me, please. Are you the real you when you're with friends or when you're with me?"

"What kind of question is that?" I frowned. "I'm being myself with both of you! I just feel a little differently for you than I feel for my friends."

"Obviously. I would hope so," he replied shortly. "Look, I'm not going to be mad at whatever your answer is, I just want you to be honest with me. Are you completely, honestly, truthfully yourself when you are with me?"

"Yes!"

"Then why don't you show your friends the same respect?"

"What does that matter to you?" I folded my arms across my chest, pouting. "I don't believe that's any of your business!"

"Well, if you want to continue on sneaking around with me, then I should know a bit about your personal life, yeah?"

"Oh," I clenched my fists. "I wish I could jinx you without getting in too much trouble."

"Go ahead. I won't tell anyone."

I reached for my wand in my pocket and took it out, pointing it against his chest. Although, I didn't say anything or think any spells. I just kept it against his chest. He smiled, but I frowned.

"So you're really like this?"

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop assuming things about me."

"I'm not assuming things, Darcy. I'm standing here with your wand against my chest. It's a bit obvious, isn't it?"

"Would you just stop it, please?" I pleaded and he nodded. I slowly lowered my wand and put it back in my pocket. "I want to go back to the house."

"Sure." He held out his arm without even cracking a stupid smile like he always did and I took it appreciatively, letting him escort me back to the Burrow.


	10. Christmas

**CHRISTMAS.**

"Wake up, Darcy!" Ron ran into my room and I groaned. "Mum said to wake everyone up! C'mon, Darcy!" He sped over to the side of my bed and took my pillow from my hands and hit me with it repeatedly.

"Ron, I swear to God!" I sat up and pointed my wand at him, but he was beaming as he threw my pillow back on my bed. I rubbed my eyes and ran my fingers through my tangled hair as he grew impatient and pulled me up onto my feet by seizing my wrists. "Ron, would you stop? I'm coming, okay?"

"She's already got breakfast ready," Ron said, raising his eyebrows, waiting for me to move. "It's on the table – if you want, I'll tell mum to save yours for after we open gifts."

"RON, DAMMIT, I'LL BE DOWN IN A SECOND!"

"Okay, okay, well, can you make it a bit faster?" Ron moaned. "She won't let us open our presents until everyone is down there and you're the only one not downstairs!"

I stood up in my short shorts and tank top, my hair a mess and my body slouched and I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me. I followed Ron out the door and we walked down the stairs – him a bit too eagerly. As I got to the kitchen, I went to grab a French Toast stick from the plate on the table, but I never got to eat it because Ron knocked it out of my hands and dragged me into the sitting room, where all the Weasley's, Hermione, Harry, and Lupin were seated. They all looked comfortable, warm, and wide awake. I sat down on the couch, in a spot beside Lupin that was oddly enough not occupied.

"You look pleasant," Lupin noted and I lowered my eyebrows at him. He grinned.

"Ron, you could have let her sleep a bit longer," Mr. Weasley laughed at my awful, tired looking appearance. "Darcy, you look exhausted. What time did you go to bed last night?"

"Eleven. Same time as you all did," I mumbled. "I just don't like getting up early."

I wrapped the blanket around me tighter and had a sudden urge to rest my head on Lupin's shoulder, which was almost touching mine, but I resisted and kept my head up as Mrs. Weasley passed out gifts to everyone. "Here, Professor Lupin," Mrs. Weasley handed him one and his eyes widened in surprise. "Even one for you." She smiled sweetly at him and handed one to me.

"It's probably a sweater," I whispered in his ear and he chuckled. "I got mine for my birthday."

He leaned closer to my ear. "How come I've never seen you wear it?"

I smiled. "It's not something you'd wear in public, really. Look, I think Harry's getting his." We watched Harry open his present, obviously expecting the sweater. It was maroon, with a giant 'H' stitched on it. It was the same every year, except for the size. "Isn't it something?"

Lupin opened his gift and it was, in fact, a sweater, but not one like I had gotten from Mrs. Weasley. It was nice and brand new, blue and he held it up with a broad grin on his face. "Thanks, Molly," he said and she nodded, beaming.

"Darcy, did you open your present yet?" she asked me and I looked down at my lap. I had been too busy watching everyone else receive their sweaters and gifts, that I never opened mine yet. It was from Mrs. Weasley and I wondered what it could be since I had already gotten my sweater. I opened it carefully and they all watched me. It was a box of fudge and I smiled. "Do you like it?"

"Love it," I replied. "Thank you."

"Here," Lupin took the fudge from my hands and folded up his sweater, placing them both on an empty spot on the floor. He lowered his voice and smirked. "That'll come in handy against the dementors, won't it?"

"Oh shut up," I muttered. "You can be a real ass, you know that?"

"Ooh," he teased. "Careful, I could give you detention for that."

I looked at him with a warning glare and he shrugged and gave me another gift that was from Mr. Weasley. It was a book on dark wizards ("It'll be great when you become an Auror!"). Lupin put it with his sweater and my fudge. Hermione got me a homework planner because she seemed to think I never did my homework well (Lupin laughed and Harry and Ron received the same thing), Ginny, Fred and George gave me more fireworks and some more test products that they were sure worked well, and Harry got me some more quills because I had been complaining for a while that I only had one. Ron got me more chocolate and Lupin cracked another smile.

As we all stood up, I announced, "I'll be heading back to bed," I yawned, shivering with the blanket around my shoulders. I bent down and grabbed my gifts from the floor before Lupin could take them. "I'll be down again for lunch, I suppose."

Everyone filed out and I walked towards the stairs. I heard someone clear their throat and I whipped around, face to face with Lupin. "Upstairs, Darcy," he said, pushing me gently up the staircase. "Is your last gift."

"My last -?" I looked at him and stopped at the top of the stairs, right before his bedroom. "But you didn't have to get me anything… oh, Professor, I didn't get you anything – I didn't want people to think –"

"That's why I'm giving it to you up here in private," he took my hands and pulled me into his room. He pointed his wand at the closed door and muttered, "_Muffliato._" I looked at him and he sat me down on the bed. As he went over to his traveling bag, he said to me, "From now on, out of class, I don't want to hear you call me 'Professor' ever again. It makes me feel gross."

"Gross, sir?"

"And no more 'sir'," he said again, pulling out a small, wrapped box. "Just Remus."

I nodded and my heart fluttered. Monarch butterflies went crazy in my stomach. "Just Remus," I repeated and he sat down beside me and took my gifts from my hands, putting them on the bedside table, and then giving me the box he had just pulled from his bag. I looked at him. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything –"

"It's fine, Darcy. Just open it," he smiled weakly and I undid the bow that was tied around the box. I put it to the side and then opened it. Inside was a bracelet – a shiny, silver bracelet that was beyond beautiful. "Oh, oh my – how did you – where did you – how did you – you didn't have to – spend – what?"

"It doesn't matter," he laughed at my awkwardness and he undid the clasp and put it on my wrist. "It didn't cost me a cent. It was my mother's – actually, my father gave it to her when they were dating. Now, I know we're not dating, but I feel you should have it. I haven't met many girls that'll stick with me for this long. And you know about my problem – I feel I can be completely honest with you."

"You didn't have to –"

"Like I said," he laughed. "It wasn't a problem to get. I've had it for years, actually. And like I said, I can be myself with you and you won't judge me – I can't think of anyone more deserving of this than you."

He reached up and moved the blanket from my shoulders, revealing my scarred shoulder. He ran his fingers over it and then sighed heavily.

"Anyone who gets attacked by a werewolf and stays with them is – is amazing. I don't know a single person who'd do that," he whispered. "Darcy, I want you to keep it, okay? But er – well, could you do something for me?"

"Oh, anything."

"In school… I mean, you could wear it if you want, but if people ask you who got it for you…"

"I won't wear it in my classes, alright?" I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Don't get me wrong, I would love for you to wear it all the time, but I don't think our situation is something to be announcing," he took my left hand and looked at the bracelet that sat perfectly on my wrist, and then kissed my hand. "Do you agree?"

I nodded. "Thank you."

His eyes met mine and I smiled. He leaned in very slowly and kissed my forehead and then my lips. "We should go back downstairs," he whispered against my lips. "Or at least, you should go back to your room. I don't want to risk anything."

I pulled back and looked away for a second. "Is this too difficult for you?" I asked. "Am I getting in the way of things? I don't you to think I'm – I'm in the way, you know? Do you think this 'forbidden' romance is a bad idea?"

"You make it sound like we're together," he said awkwardly. I looked at him and licked my lips and bit the inside of my cheek.

"Are we?" I asked. "We kiss and hug and hold hands. And you gave me this bracelet."

"I think we're good for each other," he replied softly. "Do you think so too?"

"I – I suppose."

"Then why shouldn't we be together?"

"Well, because of –"

"Because of my lycanthropy and my age and –"

I laughed and interrupted him. "I was actually going to say because of the fact that I'm a student and if someone were to find out, you could be fired and I'd never see you again. I wasn't thinking about _your_ stupid reasons at all." I grinned and he sighed contently and kissed my lips. "So we're together, then? If you want to be?"

"Of course," he said and kissed me again, and then pulled me up to my feet, leading me towards the door. He unlocked it and pushed me out and followed me. I went downstairs and we went our separate ways, trying to hide our smiles. I went into the sitting room and he went into the kitchen to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Fred and George were seated in front of the fire in the sitting room.

"'Ello, Darcy," Fred said and I sat down, looking into the fire with a stupid smile on my face. I held my hands in my lap and George moved over next to me on the couch. Fred said on the other side of me and he lifted my hand. "What's this?"

"A bracelet," I replied, ripping my hand away from him. "Thank you very much."

"It's a real nice one, Darcy," George grinned and I raised an eyebrow to the twin on my right. "Who gave it to you?"

"No one," I replied with a shrug.

"But you weren't wearing it when you were opening gifts," Fred nodded.

"How would you know?" I asked. "Were you examining my wrist while I was opening my presents?"

"Well," George continued. "It's such a nice bracelet that we would have noticed that you were wearing it earlier. Very lovely, very lovely."

"I've had it, you know," I told him, but George just laughed.

"Where'd you get it then?" Fred asked.

I looked at the twin on my right. He was wearing his sweater with the 'F' knitted on the front. "Emily got it for me for my birthday," I said calmly and Fred nodded suspiciously.

"Are you sure it wasn't _Lupin_?" George asked and he smirked. I stood up.

"I'm positive."

"Look, I'll admit this to you, Darcy," Fred chuckled. "You've got to remember we're geniuses, me and Georgey. So we've got these things called Extendable Ears and we put them right under people's doors before they go to sleep – or anytime we want, really – and you know, it's very interesting when you hear – well, how would you describe it, George?"

George made a smacking noise with his lips and my cheeks turned bright red. "You're making that up!" I protested.

"We were just as disturbed as you are!" George laughed. "What was he doing, eating your face off?"

"You're mad!" I said again, but my face was still growing redder and hotter by the second. "That never happened! You're making all this up!"

Fred raised his eyebrows and looked at George with a grin. "Yeah, unfortunately, it did. I don't wanna know what was _really_ going on in there, though."

"Nothing went on! You _must_ be mad," I sighed, standing up, hiding my beet red face. I turned back towards the twins, crossing my arms and frowning. "He's my _professor_. I would never -"

Fred and George raised their eyebrows. "He's a good looking guy, Darcy," Fred chuckled. "And you're a very pretty girl. We aren't completely stupid like Ron is."

"You're stupider than Ron is," I argued. "Ron knows there's nothing going on between us. I just think he's great to talk to – I can hear all about my parents."

"Oh! What would mum and dad think?" George grinned and I knew they were just teasing, but I couldn't help but to think… "I'm sure they'd be proud."

"Stop it, you two," I said quietly.

"We're just teasing, Darcy," Fred said with a sweet, innocent smile. "Don't take it to heart. But seriously, we know what's going on. And we won't tell anyone."

"It's cute, really," George said quietly, so his parents wouldn't hear us. "You deserve someone in your life – he's treating you well, right? If not, we could give him some puking pastilles or something."

"Or we could just punch him."

"I like that idea!" George cackled.

And then, the smiles had vanished from their faces and I knew they were being serious. I sighed, finally defeated. "Yeah, yeah, thanks guys," I whispered. "He's fine. It's fine. I'm okay. We're okay. Just please don't tell anyone. He could be fired."

George and Fred held up their thumbs, giving me some reassurance. Fred nodded. "We won't say a word."


	11. Scars

**SCARS.**

Christmas dinner was sufficiently awkward.

Mrs. Weasley insisted on treated Lupin like one of her own children and that included talking to him like one. She fed him every chance she got, complaining about his stick thin figure and that he had no meat on his bones. He tried to politely decline, but there was no stopping Mrs. Weasley; she would set four or five plates of food in front of him and watch him eat. Usually, he'd just push the food around, but other times, he'd eat until he was full.

So during Christmas dinner, Mrs. Weasley sat beside Lupin, Ron on his other side, Ginny beside Ron. I sat across from him, in between Harry and Hermione and Mr. Weasley was seated beside Harry. Fred and George were at the opposite ends of the table.

Mrs. Weasley was loading Lupin's plate up for him and he looked across the table at me, smiling and shaking his head slightly. She also told Harry and me to eat up. If I had just come from the Dursley's, I may have been a little hungrier, but Hogwarts fed me well.

"So, Remus," Mr. Weasley asked, trying to distract him from Mrs. Weasley's constant worrying of Lupin's appetite. "How is our Auror in training? She's doing well in your class, yes?"

"Wonderful," Lupin said, quickly glancing at me. "You know, she was the only student who could produce a Patronus on her first try. Must have been a powerful memory."

"You – you did?" Hermione looked shocked and I nodded, shrugging it off like it was no big deal. "Patronuses are _very_ advanced magic, Darcy! That's incredible! A full body one?"

"It's a dog," I said and Hermione, her mouth still open a bit, shook her head in disbelief. "And I've been reading that book you've given me, Hermione. It's great – really great."

Hermione grinned proudly and I smiled. "Well, I figured it would come in handy… I had glanced through a few pages of it before I gave it to you…"

"If you'd like, Darcy, I could talk to the Minister when I go to work tomorrow," Mr. Weasley offered and I looked up, just wanting the conversation about me to end.

"You don't have to, really, it's fine," I stammered and shoved food in my mouth so I wouldn't have to talk anymore.

"So, Remus," Mrs. Weasley said again and I sighed, a little happy the conversation was now about him. Again. It seemed as if we were the only two things to talk about at dinner. "Have you got a girlfriend yet?"

Lupin's eyes widened and he looked at her. She was looking down at her plate, neatly cutting a piece of chicken. Everyone around the table stifled giggles and Lupin looked back up, laughing to himself. "Oh yes, back home," he replied calmly. "She's waiting patiently for me. We write nearly every day."

I licked my lips and looked up at him. He smiled quickly at me. "That's so wonderful! You've finally got a girlfriend," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed and Lupin nodded, holding back laughter. It was easy to tell how embarrassed he was. "What's she like? What's her name?"

"Uh, her er – name?" he looked at me and smiled. "Her name's Marcy," he lied and I widened my eyes at him. The Weasley's were _that_ stupid. "And oh yeah, she's fantastic. She's a bit annoying sometimes, though. But that doesn't matter."

I clenched my jaw and looked down, knowing that Lupin was just having fun now. "And how old is she?" Mrs. Weasley asked and Lupin was still beaming.

"Thirty. Perfect, I'm telling you."

"And you two are going have children soon, I expect?" she asked and Lupin and I almost choked. "I hear it unhealthy to have children after thirty – that might be just for Muggles, though."

Lupin was coughing and his face was red. All around the table, everyone was laughing. Fred and George was dying, looking at me and cracking up. Harry looked horrified, but was still laughing. Ron was just as red faced from laughter than Lupin was from embarrassment. Hermione was the only one who wasn't laughing. She looked at me and then shook her head. Even Mr. Weasley was chuckling a bit. "I uh – we – I haven't – we er – we haven't talked – or even thought – about children yet. I think, er – I think it's a bit too soon."

"Oh," Mrs. Weasley shrugged. "Well, I'm sure that your girlfriend would enjoy a bigger man. Here, eat up."

With a shocked glance at me, Lupin ate his food, both of us praying Mrs. Weasley wouldn't ask any more questions.

By the end of dinner, I had stolen away first and gone up to my bedroom. Hermione came up to join me and she locked the door behind her and sat on the twin bed that was against the other wall. I looked at her. "Do you really think they're stupid?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" I replied.

"Marcy? Gee, that sounds a lot like _Darcy_," Hermione rolled her eyes and I was silent. I picked up a book and began to read. "So you guys are like, together now?" I nodded. "Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"I think it's a fine idea, thank you," I retorted and Hermione frowned. "You wouldn't know anything about relationships anyway. You're thirteen. I'm old enough to be your mother."

"And Lupin's old enough to be your father."

I looked at her. She had said it so calmly. I knew she was right, but that didn't change my mind about being with him at all. "So?" I replied, looking back to my book. She crossed her arms, but I tried not to listen to her.

"So," she shrugged. "Don't you think it's a little strange? You don't find it awkward at all? I would."

"Would you just get out of here?" Normally, I never spoke badly to Hermione, but she was getting on my last nerve. When she didn't move, I threw my book down and stood up, walking out the door and down the hall. I was going to go downstairs, but Lupin saw me from outside his room.

"Darcy," he whispered and he motioned for me to come with him. I gladly agreed and he locked the door, casting _Muffliato_ on it. "How about my quick thinking down there?" He laughed.

I crossed my arms, fake pouting. "So who's this 'Marcy' girl?" I smirked and he looked at me with an amused grin playing at his lips.

"She's great," Lupin grinned, sitting on the bed and pulling me towards him by holding my waist. He took my hands and laced our fingers together.

"And annoying?"

"Oh yeah, all the time," Lupin rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrows. "She's got this laugh – I can't even stand it. And her voice is just so – so – _ugh_. Not to mention she's not even that good looking. Don't even know why I'm with her."

I raised an eyebrow and smiled. He stood up and kissed my lips. "Happy Christmas," I whispered in between kisses.

"Happy Christmas, Darcy," he said and he pulled away. "Just so you know, I don't think you're annoying at all –" he chuckled. "You're quite the opposite. And you're not terribly bad looking, either."

"Oh, am I?" I asked, my cheeks turning pink. Lupin nodded slowly and smiled. He kissed my forehead and sighed happily, and then let go of my hands, walking towards the bed, pulling back the blankets.

"I'm turning in early tonight," he said, looking carefully at me. He took his shirt off and threw it on the floor beside his bag, and then crawled into bed. "Are you going to stay with me tonight?"

"Maybe I should go back –"

"Oh come on," he said, sticking out his bottom lip. "You didn't get me a Christmas gift."

I sighed and walked over to the bed, climbing in beside him. I laid my head down on the pillow and closed my eyes, but when he didn't shut the light out, I opened my eyes. He was looking down at me, looking rather tired. "What are you doing?" I laughed quietly. "You're kind of scaring me."

"I'm just looking at you," he chuckled. "Can't I look at you? You're beautiful."

I shrugged and moved closer to him, nuzzling my face in his bare chest. He leaned down and kissed my temple and I sat up, kissing his lips. I shifted quickly, crawling on top of him and straddling his waist, looking down at him. I pushed his hair out of his eyes and touched his cheek where the three scars were fading.

I trailed my finger down his chest, counting each of the scars. Thirteen. Thirteen scars. I kissed each one and then kissed his lips again. "Er –" Lupin pulled away awkwardly, looking me over, his eyes falling finally on my shoulder. He quickly looked into my eyes again and I tilted my head. "I don't think we should – I think it's too soon –"

I smiled and kissed him again. "Remus, I wasn't going to do _that_," I whispered, laughing a little.

His face turned a very, _very_ deep shade of red and he looked away immediately.

"Don't feel bad," I said, falling beside him, trying to contain my laughter. "If you would have done that to me, I would have thought the same thing."

"Er – right," he replied quietly and I cuddled into his warm body, still chuckling. "Oh god, I feel like such an idiot right now – oh… oh god, I can't believe I thought that –" He groaned and I pressed my lips to his jaw.

"You are quite the gentleman, Remus Lupin," I told him and at that, he smiled weakly. "Do you try to be a gentleman?"

He nodded. "Actually, I try pretty hard." He glanced at my scars again and I tried to cover them with a blanket so he wouldn't feel so guilty. "I just don't think a gentleman would have given you those scars."

"Oh, it's fine," I said and he seemed suspicious at the matter-of-fact tone I was speaking in. "I think I look hardcore with them, don't you think? Like I fought some kind of battle?"

"I thought you were telling people you fell off your broomstick into a tree."

"So I could have come up with a better story," I admitted. "But I still think I look cool with them, don't you?"

I could tell that Lupin wanted to argue, but he bit his tongue and nodded slowly, shrugging his shoulders. "And what about my scars? You think they're cool too? Like I'm some kind of hard ass? I'm a werewolf, not some tough badass. _I _gave myself these scars, not other people."

"Remus, you care too much about what other people think," I told him and he sighed heavily and looked away, as if ashamed. I touched his cheek and smiled at him. "Scars are actually pretty sexy. I think they are. Don't worry so much about it, okay? Why are you worried about it anyway?"

"Because I care what _you_ think of me."

My eyes widened and my stomach churned. My heart fluttered and I smiled bigger, a blush creeping on my face. I laughed nervously, not knowing how to reply to that. "I really like you," I said quietly. "I really do. You don't have to worry about what I think of you because I think you're the greatest person I've ever met."

"You mean that?"

"Yeah," I nodded and he smiled down at me. "I like your personality. I like your eyes and your hair and your smile. And I like your scars. I think you're bloody sexy."

Lupin grinned and looked embarrassed. "I wish people would have told me that when I was younger," he sighed. "I always wore long sleeves and long pants. I didn't want anyone else to see what I had done to myself. I don't understand how you can just – not be horrified when you see these. They're – they're disgusting."

"The _scars_ are not disgusting," I told him firmly. "Nothing about you is disgusting. The way you got the scars is scary, not because I think _you're_ scary, but the idea of you hurting yourself worries me. Disgusting, no, but worrying, a little."

Lupin stretched out his arms and pulled me close, very close to his body and held me tightly. He kissed the top of my head and then my forehead and my temples; he kissed me over and over again until his lips had touched all of my face. "Darcy," he kissed my lips. "You – are – amazing." Each time he'd say a word, he'd press his lips to mine once more.

I started to laugh and he pulled away.

"There's no way you're eighteen," he grinned. "You're much too mature to be eighteen."

I shook my head. "I'm eighteen," I said. "I'm sure."

"Then I have a question," he said. I nodded. "Do you know how mature and how intelligent you are?"

"I – I don't know – I guess," I shrugged.

"Then how come you surround yourself with people like you do? Miss Emily? She – sorry if I offend you in any way – but her head seems like it's full of hot air. And Harry and Ron, they're thirteen, nowhere near as mature as you. And Hermione, she may be extremely bright, but not as mature or even as talented as you. Given the fact that you're older, I don't mean to say she's not smart…"

"I – I –" I lowered my eyebrows and I bit my lip. "I hate the fact that people know who I am. All these students in Hogwarts ask me all these questions about Voldemort and they ask if I can read his mind or kill him and I hate that. That's why I liked Emily in the beginning – she never asked questions. Maybe it is because she's a little… ditzy at times…"

"You didn't mind showing off in front of everyone the first night we arrived at Hogwarts," Lupin teased. "You know, growing Malfoy's teeth?"

"That was different!" I protested. "He really got me mad."

"So now I know," he laughed. "Not to get you mad."


	12. Love Potions

**LOVE POTIONS.**

"Psst, Darcy!"

I whipped around, my heart stopping for a split second. Fred and George waltzed into the kitchen and I put down the _Daily Prophet_ on the kitchen counter I was standing against. "Holy shit, you guys almost killed me," I said and they walked over to me, their hands behind their backs. "What are you doing? What do you have?"

"We've got a question for you," Fred said. "Would you be willing to help us with one of our experiments?"

I looked at them both. "It depends. Will it hurt me?"

"Well, we don't think so – it's not one of the ones that'll make you sick or anything," George shrugged and he handed me a small pink bottle, in the shape of a heart. "But you won't be the one trying it."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "And who would I be using this on? One of you?"

"No, we've got better ideas," Fred grinned and the twins looked at each other. "Do you know what this is, Darcy?"

"Uh," I looked it over and shook my head. "No."

"It's a love potion," they both said. Fred and George moved beside me, throwing their arms over my shoulders. Fred continued, "We would like you to use it on the one and only Professor Lupin. If it works right, then he'll fall madly and deeply in love with you for…"

George finished for his brother. "It all depends on the looks of the girl, of course. Could last up to twenty-four hours."

"Twenty – absolutely not!" I replied, shoving it back into Fred's hands. "This is ridiculous! Why would I do that around your parents? Honestly, you two don't think of anything!"

"We have a potion to snap him back into reality!" George told me, holding up a small vial. "We're almost sure it'll work. In fact, I'm positive."

"And what'll happen if your mum finds out your testing your products on your Professor?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Well, we were going to ask if we could do it up in his room. Just keep him up there until we know the potion works a hundred percent," Fred smiled. Part of me was very curious to try it, but I knew it would be a bad idea. However –

"Yeah, alright," I sighed, defeated. Fred and George high fived. "But do I just walk up to him and give it to him? Or do I pour it in his drink or something?"

"We thought he'd just do it for you," George batted his eyelashes. "Just one little sip is all it takes – come on, we're begging you."

"Okay, I think he's still sleeping," I nodded and Fred and George followed me towards the stairs. "Come on, come on, before your parents see us sneaking into his room." I told them to wait outside the door until I was done and I opened the door silently, closing it behind me.

I crept over to Lupin's bed and breathed in, sitting down beside him. I ran my fingers through his hair and he opened his eyes, groaning. "Darcy… good morning," he said, his eyes still half shut. "You okay? You're up awfully early."

"I have a favor to ask you," I whispered, smiling. He hummed in response. "I need you to take this. I er – couldn't find another bottle to put it in… but I noticed that you're running low on Wolfsbane, so I tried to make some myself."

"But –"

"Please?" I asked with a smile and he shrugged and pushed himself up on his elbows and took the vile from my hands. He opened it and looked at me, but I just nodded, encouraging him to take it. Once he swallowed it all, he smacked his lips.

"That doesn't taste like Wolfsbane…" The sound of his voice seemed to change. It was lighter and softer, a higher pitched voice than he usually spoke in. "You look really beautiful, Darcy – you're always beautiful…"

I widened my eyes and nodded, smiling to myself. Was it really working? "Hold on, Remus, I've got to go get someone, okay?"

I stood up, but Lupin made some sort of whimpering noise. I looked at him. "Don't leave me, wait!" He jumped out of bed and I raised my eyebrow. "I don't want you to go!" He hugged me tightly and I inched towards the door, Lupin clinging to me.

I opened the door and Fred and George were beaming. "I think it's working!" I hissed and Fred and George walked in. They looked a bit uncomfortable, but I found the strength to push Lupin off me and I helped him put a shirt on. His eyes were big and glassy and he kept staring at me.

"What are you two doing here?" Lupin suddenly said. "Are you trying to steal her? I won't let you!" Fred and George didn't stop smiling; they looked at each other and nodded, crossing their arms. "I'm in love with her!" He stroked my cheek with his hand and I pursed my lips, standing tall while he held me.

I patted Lupin's head and he kissed my cheek. "Do you have the potion, guys?" I asked, breathed in sharply. "I don't think I'll be able to take twenty-four hours of _this_."

Lupin looked hurt and he frowned. "You don't love me anymore?"

"I never said that," I told him. "You better give him that potion before I kick both your asses."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll go get it," Fred said and he turned around with George, leaving the room.

When the two left, I tried to push Lupin off me again. "Remus, please, I need to go downstairs!" I sighed and he broke away from me, frowning, looking as if he were about to cry. "Please, I'll be right back. I promise."

"I'll come with you, darling," he grabbed me and lifted me with ease, carrying me in his arms bridal style. I smacked his chest gently.

"Please put me down!"

He did as I asked. "But – but –"

"Okay, I'll stay here."

I waited about fifteen minutes and I thought Fred and George would never return. Lupin hugged me, kissed me, sang songs to me, and told me he was madly in love with me for those fifteen minutes and the twin burst in through the door in the middle of one of Lupin's love songs.

"What took you so long?" I asked, my forehead creasing.

"Mum was downstairs asking what we were doing," Fred said, handing me the vial. I opened it and looked at Lupin.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's er – it'll make sex so much better," I nodded and handed it for him. Lupin raised his eyebrows and nodded as well, drinking the potion quickly. Once he had swallowed it, he blinked a few times and licked his lips. He looked at me and then looked at Fred and George and then at the vial in his hands.

"What's going on? What did I – what just happened?" Lupin asked and I sighed, taking the vial and handing it back to the twins.

"Just an experiment gone wrong," I apologized, standing up. "Or right, whichever you want. No more of that!" I looked at Fred and George. "Next time you can test things on yourself!"

"We were going to give the potion to _you_," George cackled. "But we thought it'd be too mean. And we figured if you found out what we did to you, you'd hex us."

"What did you do to me?" Lupin asked, horrified. "Did I do something wrong?"

Fred, George, and I laughed. "Nope," I replied. Lupin raised his eyes and gave me a stern gaze. Fred and George mimicked him. "I gave you a love potion – only to see if it worked! And it obviously did!"

"You gave me a love potion?"

"Are you mad?" I asked, but I couldn't help but smile.

Lupin shook his head and sighed. He stood up. "A little embarrassed, but not mad. I'm sure I just embarrassed myself…"

He walked out of his bedroom and the three of us followed. I went back into the kitchen with the twins and Lupin went into the sitting room with Mrs. Weasley. I picked up the newspaper again and began to read an article on Sirius Black and the dementors that Hogwarts was using. I soon looked up at the twins. "I am never doing that again, you hear? I'm not your test dummy."

"But _you_ didn't test anything. Lupin did!" Fred grinned.

"That was really mean," I shook my head. "Genius, but mean. God, that was awkward."

"If you think that was awkward," George sat down at the table. "Then imagine if we had slipped you the potion. _That_ would have been awkward."

"I honestly would have killed you two," I spat. "If I ever have to test any of your products, I promise that I will murder you two in your sleep."

George and Fred looked at each other with high eyebrows and smirks. "We'll hold you to it," George nodded and I shook my head and stood up, walking towards the sitting room. Lupin was rocking in a chair and I smiled weakly at him. He returned the small smile and Mrs. Weasley began to speak to me. Lupin stood up and walked up the creaky, wooden stairs and I heard his bedroom door shut.

"Is he alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Why wouldn't he be?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, staring into the burning fire in the large fireplace. "He just seemed a little quiet."

"He's always quiet, don't you think?" I said quietly and Mrs. Weasley looked at me. I looked away.

"Do you talk with him about your parents?" she continued, picking up a magazine and reading it. I swallowed and shrugged.

"I did once or twice," I replied. "He seems a little uncomfortable talking about it. I mean, I can see why… my father, his best friend, is dead. I don't really want to bother him with it."

"It was really a nice thing of you to do to invite him here for the holidays," she sighed contently. "I've known him for a little while and he's always so lonely. It's good that he's got himself a girlfriend now too. He deserves a girl who's good to him."

I didn't say anything about his 'girlfriend'. "He seemed lonely is all. And sick. Awfully sick."

"Weak immune system," Mrs. Weasley said matter-of-factly.

"I know. Snape usually covers his classes when he's sick."

Mrs. Weasley grunted a response and I stood up and decided to go to talk to Lupin. I bid her goodbye and walked up the steps. Was he mad? I had a feeling he was, but didn't want to admit it in front of Fred and George. I put a hand on his doorknob and turned it. He was sitting on his bed, reading a book.

"You're mad," I said instantly and he looked at me.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"I'm not."

"Stop it!"

He didn't say anything that time and he kept reading his book. I walked over to the foot of his bed and sat down. He glanced at me over the top of his book and then looked away when he saw I was looking right at him.

"I didn't know you'd be mad," I said quietly.

"I told you, I'm not mad," he repeated. "I'm tired, that's all."

"You sound mad."

"Don't make me repeat myself, Darcy," he said and I took the book from his hands, folded the page and then shut it, throwing it on the bedside table. "You gave me a love potion. Why would I be mad?"

"Because you're embarrassed," I shrugged. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I had no idea what I was doing – I can't even remember. Did I do something that was… embarrassing?"

"You hugged me a lot. You tried to carry me downstairs. And you said you were madly in love with me," I said. "I thought you were going to kill Fred and George. But that's nothing embarrassing! The potion worked just as they wanted it to!" I raised my eyebrows at him and he shook his head. "You're mad – admit it."

"I'm not mad," he said quietly and I smirked.

"You're a terrible liar," I said, shrugging again.

"Am I?"

"Yes," I replied. "Look at you. When you're lying, your body gets all tense. Just – just _relax_, Remus." I crawled up next to him and he narrowed his eyes at me, looking a little confused.

"What are you doing?" he asked as I cuddled up next to his body. "Are you okay? Have you taken a love potion for yourself?"

"No!" I laughed. "No, of course not! But tell me, Remus, are you mad about me giving you a love potion? Because I think you're overreacting _just a little bit_."

Lupin sighed and sniffed. "I told you a thousand times, Darcy, I'm not mad, alright?" he replied. "But that could have been dangerous! Have Fred and George even tested it yet? And you could have exposed our relationship – it hasn't even been three days and we almost got busted –"

"Okay, one," I held up my index finger. "I knew it would work. Fred and George's products _always_ work. I've known them for a while now. And two," my middle finger shot up beside my index. "They know."

"What do you mean '_they know_'?" he hissed. "Have you gone parading this around to _everyone_?"

"I didn't!" I argued. "They found out on their own. And so did Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Apparently, we aren't good at hiding it."

"Wonderful, just wonderful, now we're going to be –"

"No one's going to tell, Remus!" I said, standing up as he did the same. Lupin began pacing around the room, breathing frantically as if the kids knowing our business meant something terrible. "They're my friends – they're happy for me… for you too! Even Mrs. Weasley – even though she doesn't know I'm really Marcy – she's excited for you too! Now would you quit worrying about everything? You're so uptight sometimes."

"Uptight," he repeated quietly, looking at me. "There are quite a few reasons to be _uptight_. If we are found out I will be fired immediately and I'll be back to having no source of income. Does that sound fun to you, Darcy? You'd be expelled anyway and then – then – goodbye to being an Auror! That sounds absolutely delightful, doesn't it?"

I walked over to him and pulled my wand out from my waistband, pointing it at him. I flicked it once and tapped his chest. He was talking, but no noise was coming out. He realized it and stopped speaking, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows at me. "Stop – talking," I said, tapping his chest still with my wand. "And listen to me. If you're so concerned about this, then why did you agree to be with me? Honestly, you've got nothing to worry about. We're not even in school right now, okay? Once we go back, everything will be different. We won't be around each other every single second of the day."

Lupin relaxed. His shoulders became looser and his breathing slowed down. He still was unable to speak, but I soon fixed that by flicking my wand yet again, but before he could say something, I pressed my lips against his and tangled my fingers in his hair.


	13. The Last Day

**THE LAST DAY.**

If there were words to describe Mr. Arthur Weasley, I would not be able to select a specific three to describe the man.

He was hardworking and ambitious, but childish and mischievous when he wanted to be (which was mostly around Fred and George). He could be a stern father figure, or somewhat of a playful uncle. Arthur was normally excited by the smallest things and other times, it took one hours to get him to look up from the _Daily Prophet_. He was funny, but serious. He was spontaneous and loving, simple and kind, handsome and curious.

He usually had some kind of fascinated expression on his face, although half the time, he rarely had a clue about what anyone was talking about. He wasn't one to be the direct center of attention, but he certainly was always part of a discussion and he never missed out on an opportunity to voice his opinion.

He was not stupid or ignorant – not even close. He was rather quite intelligent and always aching to learn more and most of the time when I was around the Weasleys, if I needed advice, he was the first person I'd go to. But sometimes, he didn't know when to stop talking. Sometimes, he couldn't take a hint.

"Your shoulder could use a bit touching up," he said to me one day and I came bounding down the staircase. I nearly screamed at the sight of him – I didn't think anyone else would be up at eight in the morning. I cursed at myself silently, promising to wear shirts with sleeves from them on. "Have you seen Madam Pomfrey? Or have you tried any spells to fade them?"

I shook my head and sat down, grabbing that day's paper and opening it. Mrs. Weasley was reading a small, blue book. "Doesn't bother me that much really," I admitted, looking down at a story about Gringotts Goblins. "It's not that bad anyway."

"Bad?" he repeated with a frown and I nodded absentmindedly. "It looks as if you were attacked by some kind of animal!"

"The Whomping Willow sure attacks like some kind of animal," I lied, smiling weakly. "But I'm fine – it's fine – the tree's fine, in case you're wondering about that too. It was a while ago and I've almost completely forgotten about it."

"But it looks like claw marks…" Mr. Weasley said curiously. Once again, the look of fascination appeared on his round face as he focused his eyes intently on the scars on my shoulder. "That's incredible that a tree could do that to you."

At that moment, Lupin entered the kitchen, looking sideways at me and grabbing eggnog from the fridge and a glass from the cabinet. He poured it very slowly.

"Did it hurt you?" Mr. Weasley asked me. "The fall? Surely you must have been injured. Madam Pomfrey loves healing up kids, but if I were her, I'd hate it! I hate seeing children hurt!"

Lupin turned around and looked at me, slowly sipping his drink. I licked my lips and then looked back at the paper and then at the red haired man at the other end of the kitchen table. "No," I replied softly. "Painless, actually. I couldn't feel a thing. Say, Mr. Weasley, have you read this article about –"

"- Painless?" Mr. Weasley interrupted me. I could see Lupin's grip on the glass tighten and his knuckles were turning white as he brought the glass to his lips with a shaking hand. I nodded. "Hard to believe, but you're a tough girl. Hopefully, that won't happen to you again. You know better now, I assume? Dangerous that tree is! My children better not go near that damn tree."

Suddenly, there was a crash and I whipped around and saw that Lupin was hurriedly bending down to pick up the glass that had shattered on the ground. His fingers were trembling. The glass of eggnog had broken and the liquid was leaking through the hardwood floor. He didn't make a single noise and didn't even use his wand to clean up.

"Don't worry, Remus!" Mr. Weasley boomed with a smile of reassurance. "Here, I got it for you!" He flicked his wand and the glass mended itself, the eggnog drying up immediately. "No worries."

The way Lupin was looking at me was absolutely heartbreaking. "I'm sorry about that," he muttered, tearing his gaze from me. "I didn't mean –"

"No worries, Remus," Mr. Weasley said again and he waved his hand dismissively. "We've got it all cleaned up now."

Lupin nodded and I saw him shrug uncomfortably. "Right," he said under his breath. I bit my lip and sighed as he walked out of the room. I heard his slow, heavy footsteps climb the staircase and then the bedroom door opened and shut loudly.

"Poor fellow," Mr. Weasley frowned, still staring at the empty stairs. "Can't seem to get a break sometimes – ha! A break! Like the glass!"

I laughed softly and swallowed loudly. "Mr. Weasley," I began, but he interrupted me again.

He was still laughing a little. "Can't get a break…" He was staring at my shoulder, his eyes narrowing as if he was piecing it all together. I stood up abruptly. "What did you say, Darcy?"

"I said – I said –" we locked eyes. "I said I'll be upstairs in my room. I'll come back down for lunch, though…"

As I walked towards the stairs, Mr. Weasley watched me carefully and I ran up the stairs, to Lupin's room. I held my hand up, hesitating to knock, but I did and he didn't answer. I carefully turned the doorknob, paused, and then I opened the door, poking my head in. He was lying on his back, on his bed, and he was rubbing his eyes with his palms, groaning quietly to himself. I shut the door behind me and leaned against it and he sat up.

"Are you mental?" he asked quietly, his voice muffled by his hands. "Are you mad? Insane? Delusional?"

"A bit lonely perhaps," I shrugged. "But definitely none of the things you just mentioned." I laughed weakly, trying to get him to smile, but he didn't. I walked over to the bed and he sat up slowly. I sighed. "Tell me why you're sad."

He pulled me to him and pressed his lips to the scars on my shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Darcy…" he whispered against my skin. He kissed my shoulder again and I put my hands to each of his cheeks and positioned his face so he was looking at me.

"Will you kiss me?" I asked him.

"Why?" he replied. "Why do you feel you have to ask?"

I blushed. "I like it when you kiss me first."

He smiled a small smile and he kissed me softly on the lips. He grabbed my hands from his face and took them in his own. He got real close to my face again and whispered on my lips, "You know, we're going back to Hogwarts tomorrow after breakfast."

"I know," I said.

"Then we have to make the best of this day," he whispered again. "Once we return to Hogwarts, we won't be able to spend that much time together."

"I know."

"What do you want to do today?" he asked me and he kissed me lightly before pulling me away.

"I – I –" I thought for a moment. "I want to go for a walk. And I want to go with you. And I want to lie down and just be with you."

Lupin raised his eyebrows, probably expecting a completely different response. "Is that really what you want to do?" he asked and I nodded. "Then we should go. Come on, get ready, Darcy."

I smiled and jumped towards the door, my heart fluttering. "Okay. I'll be ready in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, I walked downstairs. Lupin was sitting at the kitchen table, his hair combed neatly, his shirt ironed and flat, his jeans old and patched. I grabbed my coat and looked at Mr. Weasley, who was still reading his book. He was almost finished with the whole thing.

"Mr. Weasley, I'm going for a walk," I said happily. "I'll be –"

"Oh no!" Mr. Weasley held his hand up to stop me. "Molly has told me not to let you go out with Sirius Black on the loose! Trying to trick me, yes? Remus, you mind going with her?"

Lupin contemplated it for a second and then shrugged and stood up, grabbing his coat, which had patches on the elbows. We walked out the door and then he took my hand and began to run towards the small wooded area that was in the backyard of the Burrow. When we got deep enough into the forest, he took his coat off and laid it on the ground. He laid down on it and then I lay down beside him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I rested my head on his chest. "I'm going to miss this," he sighed quietly.

I chuckled. "You think we won't be able to see each other at all when we return?" I asked him.

"Well, we won't really have the time…" he replied with a small shrug. "I just don't want to risk getting caught."

"Can we just stay here forever?" I whispered, closing my eyes and wrapping my arm around his stomach.

"Gladly."

We stayed there for a long time, until the sun was beginning to set. I had dozed off once or twice and Lupin had fallen asleep at one point, but the temperature continued to drop and Lupin started to shiver without his coat on. Our hands were red, our lips turning blue. My hands shook and I shoved them deep in my coat pockets, but it did no good.

We jumped up as the sun began to go down. We knew we had been out for a long time and the Weasley's would begin to wonder where we were. As we hurried back to the Burrow, he looked at me, his cheeks bright red from the cold wind. "What'll happen when they ask us where we were?" he said.

I shrugged, shivering. "Say we were out for a walk and we got lost," I replied. "Mr. Weasley will buy that. Mrs. Weasley, though… I think she'd believe it."

As we approached the tall, skinny house, we entered the front door and the warm arm made us both sigh loudly and relax. We removed our coats and saw dinner being made. Mrs. Weasley heard the front door shut and she ran over to us. "_Where in Merlin's name were you two_?" she bellowed.

"We went for a walk," I replied, my eyes wide as she pointed a spatula right at my face. "And we got lost! We couldn't find our way back!"

She looked behind me at Lupin, who nodded in agreement. "That's what happened," he said quietly.

"You're lucky I didn't send the whole bloody Ministry out looking for you two! I was ready to do it! Trust me, five more seconds and I would have -" she yelled and she kept her eyes locked on mine.

"- She was safe, Molly," Lupin reassured her and Mrs. Weasley's body seemed to relax. "Don't worry, she was fine. I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Besides, I'm sure Miss Potter would be able to fend for herself." He smiled at me.

Mrs. Weasley nodded and seemed to contemplate this. "Yes, very well, alright," she pushed us towards the sitting room. "Go sit by the fire – warm up – your faces are all red. Dinner will be ready soon. Come on! Go along! Go warm up! There are blankets in there. What are you thinking, Darcy? Wanting to go for a walk in _this_ weather…? Insane you are!"

We walked into the small, sitting room, where a big, warm fire was burning in the fireplace. I sat on the couch and Lupin sat beside me, wrapping the blanket around my shoulders. "Are you cold?" I asked him, shivering a little. My face was warming, my hands still trembling from the cold. "It's freezing out there."

Lupin smiled and shook his head slowly. "I'm alright, I'm fine," he replied. "But just imagine if she _had_ sent out a search party for us."

I grinned and looked at him. I tucked my legs underneath me and then sighed. "I think that'd be funny," I said with a small shrug. I chuckled to myself. "Don't you think?"

"How would that be –" He looked at me strangely and then I frowned and looked back towards the fire. I heard him breathe in deeply and shift awkwardly beside me. He kissed the top of my head gently and then said, "Yeah, it would have been."

"I had a good vacation," I said suddenly. "Did you?"

"I did."

"You really enjoyed it?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Thank you for inviting me."

"I couldn't leave you at Hogwarts all by yourself," I replied. "Who would take care of you? You were sick. I didn't want you to be all alone."

Lupin looked at me for a long time and finally, I looked away from the fire to look into his eyes. He chewed on the inside of his cheek and then swallowed. "Thank you," he told me and he pressed his lips to my cheek before standing up and walking to the kitchen.


	14. The Christmas Gift

**THE CHRISTMAS GIFT.**

After Lupin was sure that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone to bed and were fast asleep, he threw a blanket over me and sat beside me on the couch. I rested my head against his leg, half asleep. Through my half open eyes, I stared into the burning fire and he stroked my hair slowly, making me drowsier. It was well past midnight, close to one o'clock in the morning. I could hear Harry, Hermione, and Ron talking quietly in the kitchen and stifling laughter.

I closed my eyes as I heard Ron's footsteps leap up the stairs, followed by Hermione's light steps. Harry entered the sitting room, sitting in one of the two armchairs. I pretended to be sleeping.

"What are you going to do when we get back to Hogwarts?" Harry asked quietly and I felt Lupin shrug. "About this? Surely you aren't going to be sharing a dorm."

Lupin chuckled. "No, I don't think that'd be allowed," he replied softly. "Is she sleeping?"

Harry said yes. Lupin didn't stop running his fingers through my hair. I felt my skin get goosebumps.

"Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do," he sighed. "That's why we're trying to spend time together here, away from school. It's still difficult, obviously seeing as I'm still awake at one o'clock. I would much rather be able to touch her during normal hours around everyone and not have to wait until everyone's gone to bed. But I would rather wait than do absolutely nothing with her."

There was a long, somewhat awkward silence and I breathed deeply. I didn't think that either of them enjoyed the awkward conversation.

"I really do like her, Harry. I'm sorry if it's weird for you, I really am. And I don't just like her because she looks like Lily or reminds me of James. There's just something about her…" he whispered. "Darcy told me about what Hermione thinks of it. But she's right. I am a little old for her, hm?"

"Well, maybe just a little," Harry stuttered and I felt Lupin shrug again.

"I've tried to tell her multiple times that I'm too old and poor and –" He cut off his sentence before he could say 'dangerous'. "But she just won't listen. She's stubborn, your sister, but that's alright. I don't think I could leave her if I tried, honestly. What I mean to say, Harry… Is this alright? Harry, she's your sister and your family – your only family… Is this okay with you?"

Harry was hesitant at first and I felt my heart sink low. "Yeah, I guess, if you make her happy," he answered finally and almost silently. "Yeah. I just – my sister is beautiful and guys have often tried to take advantage of her. I don't want you to do that to her. Believe me, I'll bloody kill you."

Lupin laughed. "I don't want to do that, Harry," he told my brother. "That's the last thing I want to do – take advantage of her. She's brilliant, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know."

"That's good," Lupin breathed. "She's very understanding. She's kind too."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said again. "She's got a temper, though. Her and Voldemort… they, well – I don't know how to explain it. At least she doesn't have a scar that everyone can recognize her by."

"She told me," Lupin replied. "Well, I guess we should all go to bed. Even me. Come on, Darcy, wake up." He shook my shoulder gently and I opened my eyes very slowly, as if I was really just waking up. I arched my back, stretching. He took my hands and pulled me up, wrapping his arm around my waist and following Harry out the door. We walked up the stairs slowly and he led me down the hall to my bedroom. Hermione was still awake, tiredly flipping through her Ancient Runes book. Lupin and I passed her bed and stopped at mine. He laid me down and kissed my forehead quickly, and then my lips.

"Can't you stay here?" I breathed. Hermione put her book away and got in underneath the blankets. I grabbed Lupin's hand. "I want you to stay here. We won't be able to sleep together – in the same bed – for a long time…"

Lupin glanced at Hermione, who looked awkwardly away. "No, not tonight, I'm sorry," he whispered and sensing that Hermione felt uncomfortable, he left without kissing me again.

Hermione woke me up the next morning. She had shaken me awake and she was talking the whole time. "… Hurry up and pack your things, Darcy! We're going to be using the Floo Network and you're the only one who hasn't even started packing –" She looked at me and saw that I had put my pillow over my head. "Darcy, get up!" She ripped the blankets off me and I kicked and flailed my legs like a child.

I sat up and grabbed my wand off the table. "Hermione, unlike you, I'm able to use magic outside of school," I scoffed and I waved my wand. The clothes I had scattered on the ground immediately folded by themselves and flew into my suitcase, packing them perfectly. Hermione shook her head and locked her suitcase shut. "I'm coming – I've got to run a fucking comb through my hair."

I realized that I had packed my brush already and I groaned, running my fingers through my hair, licking my fingers and flattening my hair, trying to make it look somewhat presentable. I grabbed my two bags and was downstairs before Hermione. Harry, Ron, the twins, Ginny, and Lupin were all ready with their bags in front of the green fire. Mrs. Weasley was waiting alone; Mr. Weasley was at work.

Hermione came down shortly after.

"Who wants to go first?" Mrs. Weasley asked and George stepped up, going to the Gryffindor common room. Fred went second and then Ginny. Harry went after Ginny. Ron went after Harry and Hermione went after Ron. Suddenly, an owl screeched and Mrs. Weasley groaned. "Alright you two, I've got take care of this. Good luck with your schooling, Darcy – good luck with your teaching, Remus." She hugged both of us tightly and kissed my cheek, and then she ran into the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Lupin asked me.

"The Gryffindor common room." I stepped into the fire and said it loudly and clearly and suddenly, I was thrown into the room at Hogwarts. I laid for a second and then heard something crack and Lupin was thrown on top of me. Both our faces were dirty and he quickly stood up and brushed himself off.

"Sorry about that," he whispered and I noticed that both Fred and George were watching us from a distance. "Well, I should be on my way back to my office."

"Right," I smiled. I held out my hand and he shook it slowly. "I'll see you in class, Professor Lupin."

He exited the Gryffindor common room and Fred and George walked down the stairs and I sat on the couch, standing up my suitcases. "Saw that," Fred sang as he sat down beside me. George took a seat on my lap.

"Disgusting the way he looks at you," George grinned. "All lovey dovey. Just plain disgusting. You see him, Fred?"

"I saw him," Fred nodded. "He better watch himself. Or else he'll have to face the fury of the Weasley twins."

"Enough," I replied quietly, pushing George off my lap. "I've got say 'hello' to Emily. I think she's back by now."

I stood up and walked by myself down to the platform, where the Hogwarts Express would be dropping off the students any minute. I waited, along with a few other people, including Hagrid. I began talking to him.

"Hello, Darcy!" he said in his big, booming voice. "Enjoying your last year?"

"Very much," I replied with a wide grin. "It's better than I expected it to be."

"How so?"

"I'm just doing really well in my studies is all," I said quickly. "Hagrid, Harry told me what happened with Buckbeak. How – how is he?"

"Who? Malfoy?"

"No!" I raised my eyebrows. "How's Buckbeak?"

"Well," Hagrid breathed in deeply and I felt guilty. I think I hit a soft spot. "Lucius Malfoy is furious about it. But it wasn't Buckbeak's fault – Malfoy provoked him and I warned the brat about insulting hippogriffs! But anyway, he went to the Ministry about it and I'm just waiting to hear back…"

"Oh, Hagrid," I touched his arm. "Everything will be alright, okay? I'll look up hippogriffs in court and stuff. Hermione will help me. Ron and Harry will probably help too!"

"Bless you, Darcy," Hagrid was teary eyed as the Hogwarts Express pulled up. He dried his eyes with a huge handkerchief. "So much like your mother, you are."

As the scarlet train rolled to a stop, Emily was dragging her bags off first and when she saw me, she grinned and ran up to me, leaping up and wrapping her arms and legs around me. Being the skinny girl she was, she wasn't heavy at all. "I missed you!" she exclaimed and few of my other friends patted me on the shoulders as they walked by. "How was your Christmas break? What'd you get?"

She let me go and picked up her suitcase. I grabbed her small, travel bag and thought. "Chocolates and a – fudge."

"Sounds great…" she seemed uninterested. "I got clothes – lots of clothes! And I got a new set of robes too."

"Fantastic," I replied. We walked up to the castle and I adjusted her heavy bag and the sleeve to my shirt sleeve fell up. Emily looked at me.

"_Holy shit_!" she screamed and she grabbed my wrist. I was wearing the bracelet. "Who got you this? It's bloody fucking beautiful! Look how shiny it is!"

I yanked my hand back. "It's nothing."

"Seriously," we began to move again. "Who got you this because it's beautiful?" We rounded the corner and Emily ran into someone. Lupin raised his eyebrows and I chuckled, helping my friend to her feet. "Oh, Professor Lupin! Hello! Have you seen this bracelet someone got for Darcy? I was just telling her how beautiful it is!"

Emily held up my wrist and Lupin took my wrist from her, examining the bracelet with a smile on his face. "Yes, it's very nice," Lupin said quietly. "Didn't Harry get you that?"

"Harry –" I repeated and he let go of my wrist, still smiling at me. "Harry. Yes. Yes, he did."

"Harry got you that?" Emily asked in disbelief. "Well, I wish I had Harry as a brother!"

Lupin nodded to us both and then walked away, his hands behind his back, humming a song I didn't know. Emily was skipping down the hallway. "Yeah, Harry's a nice brother…" I said again, smiling to myself.

"You know," Emily looked over her shoulder at Lupin. "He's rather good looking, don't you think?"

"Me? I, um, he's – yeah, he's alright."

"You think he'd ever go for a student?" she asked seriously. I almost choked and suddenly, I was angry, but I didn't want to show it.

"Him? Nah," I shrugged it off. "He's too old, don't you think? I think he'd go more for someone his age. Besides, he could get fired if someone found out he was having a relationship with a student."

"Well," Emily said. "I was going to talk to him before break, you know, try to see if he's interested, but I don't really want to anymore. In fact, I think he's interested in _you_, Darcy. Did you see the way he looked at you just a few seconds ago? And the way he touched you? God, it was almost… like he liked you."

"Oh no," I shook my head and forced a laugh. "That's not possible."

"I don't know. He seemed pretty happy when he walked away. Did you see him?" Emily raised her eyebrows and smirked at me. "You're lucky, you know."

"Lucky?"

Emily nodded and I smiled to myself. "You're very lucky. He's attractive and bloody brilliant. He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had! Although, he does look a little homeless sometimes… but he cleans up nice!"

"I've talked to him a few times. He knew my parents. He was my dad's best friend," I told her as we humped her bags up the flight of stairs.

"Oh, that's why he looks at you like that!" Emily nodded and sighed, reaching the top of the staircase. We began to walk up the second flight. "You look exactly like your mum! He must have been in love with her or something so when he sees you, he just thinks of Lily! And so he thinks he must be in love with _you_ or something!"

"You – you think?" I stuttered.

"That must be it." She seemed sure of herself. "Perhaps I should try – just to see if he's interested?"

The anger flared inside me and I licked my lips, looking forward as we walked up the last flight of stairs. "I don't think Professor Lupin would be interested in a student," I said quietly. "I'm sorry, but I think it's a bad idea. You and him could get into a lot of trouble."

"I suppose you're right. I'll find the right time though," she smirked and we approached the door to the Gryffindor commons. I muttered the password, still furious, and the Fat Lady opened the door.

I was immediately bombarded by Ron, Hermione, and Harry. "Darcy, Darcy, look at this!" Harry stuffed a broomstick into my arms and I dropped Emily's bag on the ground. She groaned and picked it up, setting it neatly on her suitcase. "I found it underneath the tree!"

"What is it? It's a broomstick – I know," I said and I turned it over.

"It's a _Firebolt_!" Ron exclaimed. "It's the best broomstick out right now! The fastest! There's no way Malfoy will be able to beat you on his cruddy broomstick!"

"Where'd you get this?" I asked, handing it back to Harry. Hermione stood there, her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised to her hairline. I raised a single eyebrow and Harry shrugged. "Who sent it to you? Wasn't there a tag or something?"

"No," Hermione interrupted and Ron rolled his eyes. "But I think I know who sent it."

"Who, then?" I nodded.

"Sirius Black!"


	15. Reassurance

**REASSURANCE. **

The possibility that Sirius Black had sent Harry that Firebolt lingered over the Gryffindor common room for the rest of the night. I was terrified that it was Sirius who had sent it, but I came up with reasonable excuses. I kept repeating them to myself and when I felt confident in them, I confronted Hermione and told her what I had practiced.

"How would he get the money? He's on the run isn't he?" I asked her late that night. She was finishing up her Ancient Runes book and looked exhausted, but the fear kept me wide awake. "He can't just go walking into Gringotts and expect not to be noticed!"

Hermione said nothing, but she shrugged. When she finished her book, she shut it and looked up. "I don't know," she replied quietly. "But I think it was him. Darcy, what if he jinxed it?"

"And he wouldn't be able to go into a broomstick shop and buy one!" I said, ignoring her last comment. "That's – that's ridiculous! It's bullshit! It wasn't Sirius Black. Perhaps it was McGonagall?"

"I – I'm going to bring it to her tomorrow," Hermione said. "Well, I'll tell her about it. I just – it can't be safe. No one put their name on it! Sirius Black sent that broomstick to him and you know it, Darcy. What if he put a jinx on it?"

I looked at her, breathing heavily, although I hadn't done much work. My heart was throbbing and I felt panicked. "I ought to go to bed," I stood up abruptly and she nodded, standing up with me, tucking her book underneath her armpit.

I crawled into my four poster bed, the twin one beside Emily's. She was fast asleep, her hair covering her face. I pulled the blanket up to my chin, but I knew that a blanket wouldn't keep me safe.

Tired and worn out from a restless night's sleep, I had to drag myself to potions class the next day. The only thing that kept me going the whole day was the fact that I had Defense Against the Dark Arts last class and I wanted desperately to talk to Lupin about the whole Sirius Black ordeal. I figured that he would have some words of wisdom to share with me. It seemed like he always knew the right thing to say.

"_What_ exactly is this?"

Snape's low, monotone voice came from behind me and I jumped. I was stirring the now milky liquid in my cauldron. I hadn't really stopped stirring for fifteen minutes now. I peeked into my cauldron and cursed under my breath. "I was – I made Veritaserum – I started it almost a week ago, but I wasn't paying attention…" I sighed and groaned. "And now I think I ruined it."

"It's white."

"I see that," I grimaced.

"Do you have any idea what color it is _supposed_ to be?"

"Clear," I replied.

"I should just give you a zero for the day," he tapped his clipboard with his quill and looked down his hook nose into my cauldron again. "But seeing as everyone else has decided to brew a less complicated potion – half marks for the day, Miss Potter. See if you can fix it by the end of class."

The end of class was only in five minutes. "There's no way I can fix it by then," I told him and he raised his eyebrow and shrugged.

"That is your problem, Miss Potter, not mine," he hissed. "It seems to me like you've got something else on your mind today." He lowered his voice. "If I'm not mistaken, I would think that you're daydreaming of a _certain professor_."

"Don't flatter yourself," I shot back. "I wouldn't dare daydream about you during of class, nevermind _at all_."

Snape's lip curled and I raised my eyebrows. "Twenty points from Gryffindor," he spat. "Go throw out your potion, it is _useless_."

I did as he told me and when the bell rung, I raced out of potions and sped down the hallway to Lupin's room. I wasn't the first one there, but he walked in right behind me. I turned around as he cleared his throat and he smiled and nodded. I joined Emily at the table in the front.

"I assume that everyone had fun over their break," Lupin announced and there was a slight murmur amongst us, but it soon died down. "And I'm assuming that all of you had some good times. All of you were happy over the break – I can't think of a single person who'd be sad to have off of all classes." He was silent as he paced the room and then sat down on the top of his desk at the very head of the classroom. "I find this a perfect opportunity to work on Patronuses. We won't be doing it today, of course. But I want you all to practice since you've got plenty of good, recent memories to choose from. Sound fair? At the end of February, you will all be having a test on Patronuses. A written one and then you'll be producing one. Hopefully, a full body one."

Some groaned, but some seemed happy. Perhaps they had finally found happy memories. I, of course, had a whole stock of powerful memories.

The whole class seemed to go by quickly, probably because I spent most of my time staring at Lupin. I couldn't really repeat what he told the class, but all I know is, I packed up my stuff slowly, planning on talking with Lupin.

As everyone was filing out, Oliver Wood ran into the classroom, pushing past everyone and running up to me. He grabbed my shoulders. "Did you see what Harry got for Christmas?" he shouted and I widened my eyes. I had no idea that his broomstick was so special.

"The Firebolt, you mean?" I asked, taking his hands and placing them back at his sides. Lupin watched us carefully from behind his desk and he coughed, writing something down on a clipboard.

"Oh, hello, Professor Lupin," Oliver said and he nodded at him. Oliver then turned back to me. "Have you reported it to McGonagall? Harry says you think that –"

"Hermione must have!" I replied. "I wasn't even worried about the thing! Hermione was the one who suspected it. She thinks it's jinxed! But what has McGonagall done to it?"

"She's taken it from him!"

"Taken it? Is she allowed to do that?" I asked Oliver. He was frantic and panicked.

"Yes! Yes, she's allowed!" Oliver responded quickly. "And without it, he'll be stuck on one of the crappy school brooms for the Ravenclaw match! We have to win that match, Darcy! He can't win without a Firebolt!"

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" I ran my fingers through my hair and crossed my arms.

"Can't you talk to McGonagall?"

"Why would she listen to me about a broomstick?" I shrugged. "You're the team captain! Why don't _you_ talk to her?"

"I've tried," Oliver said sternly. "And she won't listen. But maybe I could convince her… House Cup… winning the match… Yeah, okay, I'll try some more. I just – if it was you who turned it in – I'd kill you."

"Be nice to Hermione, Oliver!" I said as he ran out the door. He held his hand up, waving as he closed the door and turned the corner. I sighed and leaned against the table I was just sitting at. I turned to look at Lupin.

"I don't like him," Lupin told me quietly, writing down some more things on a clipboard. He didn't look up at me.

"Why's that?"

"I don't like the way he looks at you," Lupin shrugged and he stood up, walking over to me. "You better watch out for that one." I laughed. "Now, what's going on with Harry's broomstick?"

"Well, last night, he found that there was a Firebolt someone gave to him," I explained. "But there was no name or anything – it was just _there_. So Hermione thought that maybe… Sirius Black gave it to him. But that's not possible, is it?" Fear bubbled in my stomach again. "I mean, how would he get the money to buy it? How would he buy the broomstick in the first place? Tell me it's not possible!"

I was holding onto the front of his cardigan and he took my hands and lowered them. "You're scared," he said softly. "Why are you scared? You're right. How could he send Harry the broomstick?"

"Did you?"

"No, I'm afraid I didn't."

"Then who sent it to him!" I asked again, holding onto his shirt. "Do you – do you think it was Sirius Black?"

Lupin looked at me for a long time. "It's possible, but –" he said, but I interrupted him, beginning to panic. "But not probable!" He finally finished. "Don't worry about it, alright, Darcy? Seriously. There's nothing to get worked up over. You are very safe here at Hogwarts, I'll make sure nothing happens to you. Do you trust me?"

I let go of his shirt and looked down towards the ground. He touched my chin and lifted my head.

"Do you trust me, Darcy?"

"Yeah, I do, but –"

"No 'but'!" he replied. "You're fine, you're going to be okay and Harry is going to be okay too!"

"But Sirius has already gotten into Hogwarts once!" I argued. "And you don't know him well enough to say he won't be able to in again! You don't know what he's capable of, Remus! He committed a huge murder and he sold my parents to Voldemort and he's escaped Azkaban – no one's ever done that before! And – and –"

"Shh," he said and he touched my cheeks, trying to get me to calm down. "Shh, Darcy, stop, shh." He ran his fingers through my hair and then pulled me to his body. "Everything's going to be okay. You know what? Dumbledore or McGonagall probably sent him that broom. Don't worry about it, okay? You are always safe here at Hogwarts. With me."

I smiled weakly.

"Now, listen to me," Lupin said. He lifted me with ease and sat me down on the table. "I've decided that it's time to start teaching Harry the Patronus Charm. Do you agree?"

I nodded and Lupin smiled at me. "Will I still be able to see you at night?"

He said yes. "Every Thursday at eight, I'll be teaching your brother though, so we won't be able to meet then. Is that alright?"

"I guess," I sighed and he pressed his lips to my forehead. "I have to go." I slid off the table, the front of my body brushing against his. He took a step back to give me some room. "I have to go talk to Hermione about the Firebolt."

Lupin nodded and squeezed my hand as I walked towards the door. I opened it and walked out as Snape walked past me; he seemed not to see me. But then, he did a double take and I tried to run away. "Not so fast, Miss Potter."

I stopped in my tracks and turned around.

"I do believe the bell for the end of lesson rang a little bit ago."

"Yes sir," I replied quickly. "I was just talking to Professor Lupin about my Patronus."

Snape cocked an eyebrow. "Your Patronus?" he asked skeptically and I nodded eagerly. "If I remember correctly, you already can produce a full bodied one. Is that true?" I nodded again. "Then what were you talking about?"

"My memory," I lied. "Sorry, Professor, but I have to go now."

"And where are you going, Miss Potter?"

"The library." And I took off.

As I entered the library, I looked around for Hermione. Not a lot of people were inside – no one ever really was. I walked to the back rather quickly and saw Hermione in the back corner. She was holding up a large book and I could only see her bushy hair and not her face. I walked closer to her and sat down at the table, across from her.

"Hermione?"

She lowered the book and I ran my fingers through my hair when I saw her red eyes. She had been crying. "Hi, Darcy."

"Oh, Hermione, what's wrong?" I whispered. "Are you alright?" _Are you alright_? Was I an idiot? Of course she wasn't alright! I cursed at myself under my breath. I was horrible at cheering people up. "Er – what I mean to say is –"

"They won't even speak to me!" Hermione said in a hushed voice. "All because I told McGonagall about that stupid broomstick! They won't even look at me!"

"Hermione, calm down, alright? I'll talk to them later… I'm sure they'll get over it. They're just being stupid," I sighed. "What do you have there?"

"I'm looking up hippogriff court cases for Hagrid," Hermione wiped her teary eyes. "I just thought he could use some help…"

"Have you found anything?" I asked and it seemed as if she was becoming distracted with the hippogriff book. She straightened up and cleared her throat.

"There have been a few cases," Hermione paused. "But the hippogriff has always lost. I can't find a case where one has won a case… I'm no help at all! And Ron and Harry won't help at all –"

She sniffed again. "Don't worry, don't worry!" I reassured her. "I'll help you and Hagrid too! And so will Professor Lupin! Don't worry, Hermione, Buckbeak will win this case. He's got to! It was Malfoy's fault to begin with!"

"You mean that? You'll help? And Professor Lupin will help too?"

"Oh yes! I promise you, Hermione. Everything's going to turn out fine. Everything will be alright."

"You sure? It just seems very unlikely that –"

"I assure you. With me, Professor Lupin, and the cleverest witch of her age on Hagrid and Buckbeak's side, there's no way Buckbeak will lose this case. He'll win, I know he will! We just have to work hard and find good evidence – which I'm sure we'll be able to find."

Hermione nodded, seeming convinced by my confident tone. Although, I wasn't sure I could really convince myself.


	16. Oliver Wood

**OLIVER WOOD.**

"Oliver! Oliver!"

I ran over to Oliver Wood, Emily's boyfriend, who was kneeling on the ground in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. He was still in his practice uniform, locking a Bludger into place. His broomstick was on the ground beside him, next to the Quaffle. "Hello, Darcy Potter," he said calmly. "Were you calling me?"

"I was wondering if you've seen Harry. I haven't seen him all day…" My voice trailed off and I looked around. "Have you?"

"Have I seen Harry? Yes," Oliver grumbled something under his breath. "He just left practice a few minutes ago."

"Oh," I said quietly. Not wanting to walk all the way back to the castle after just coming from there, I sat down across from Oliver as he finally got the Bludger locked into place. He threw the Quaffle to me and I caught it. "Is Quidditch fun?"

"I like it."

"Is it fun riding a broomstick?"

"Haven't you ever flown before?" Oliver asked me with wide eyes. I grinned and tossed the Quaffle back to him. He threw it up and tossed it back to me. We kept throwing it back and forth. I shook my head. "Your brother is one of the best flyers I've ever seen and you've never rode a broomstick?"

"Well, I did during first year… and once in my fifth year I think," I laughed. "But I didn't like it. I always feel like I'm going to fall off."

Oliver held the Quaffle tightly and set it down. "You want a go?" he smiled, glancing at his broomstick.

"Do I – um," I bit my lip. "What if I wreck your broomstick?"

"No worries," he replied, standing up and grabbing his broom off the ground. "My mother promised to buy me a new one in a few days time. If you want to ride it, you can."

"I – I don't know… I don't think it'd be such a good idea…"

"Go on, mount it," he handed it to me. "I'll ride behind you so you don't slip off the back." He laughed and I smiled, mounting the broom. Before he got on, I looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You won't fall, Darcy."

I nodded and mounted the broom, holding on tightly. Oliver wrapped his arms around me and put his hands above the spot on the broom where my hands were clenched around the wood tightly. His body was touching mine and I felt my skin go hot. My cheeks turned red. I felt guilty. But it was only a ride… one ride.

"You have to kick off, okay?" he said quietly. He was close to my ear; I could feel his hot breath.

"I don't want to go too high," I whispered, a little afraid.

"Okay, okay, not too high," he answered and I knew he was smiling.

With a deep breath, I kicked off the ground and the broomstick began to fly. I screamed and Oliver laughed. He was controlling the broom and we kept our balance. We were about ten feet off the ground. "Can we go higher?" I asked and Oliver said yes, laughing. "Let's go higher, please!"

We went up about another ten feet and I looked down at the ground. I quickly looked up as we flew quickly. "Want to go higher?" Oliver yelled over the rushing of the wind.

"Yes!"

And we went higher and higher, flying all around. We flew up to the three goals on the Quidditch pitch, we flew over the stands were all the Quidditch fans would sit, we flew past the windows of the dormitories and the classrooms, and we flew for about fifteen minutes, laughing and screaming. "Ready to go down? It's getting dark!" he asked me and I nodded.

Slowly, very slowly so I wouldn't fall off the front, he lowered the broom to the ground and about six feet from the ground, we almost ran into a tree. He swerved to the right and we fell to the ground by his Quidditch trunk. I fell on top of him and he grunted, laughing. I hesitated, and then I realized what was happening. I rolled off him and stood up. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Wait a second," Oliver said and he caught my wrist. "Did you have fun? Did I scare you or something?"

"No… it's just – I've really got to get back… it's getting dark," I stuttered and Oliver nodded, letting go of me.

"I see. I have nothing but friendly intentions, Darcy," he laughed to himself. "I'm taken, you know. You've got a man, haven't you?"

"I – um, what?"

"There's another guy in your life. I know it. I'm not stupid." Oliver was smiling.

"Well, it's – it's something like that," I replied. "I had fun, Oliver. Thanks! Really, it was amazing. I should fly more often… maybe I won't go that high, though…" We both laughed.

"Right," Oliver smiled. "See you round, Darcy."

I walked back into the castle and as I began to climb the steps, I walked past a small broom closet. I felt someone yank on my arm and I went to yell, but a calloused hand clapped over my mouth suddenly, and I was pulled towards the closet by Lupin. He entered with me and shut the door, locking it. I took his hand and pulled it off my mouth.

"_What are you doing_?" I hissed. "You scared me! Why are you pulling me into random closets?"

"Be quiet, please," he snapped and I widened my eyes, crossing my arms. He breathed heavily. "Care to explain what just happened?"

"I don't know what just happened! You just pulled me into this fucking broom closet!"

"Shut up," he shushed me. "Do you want the whole bloody school to hear us? And I what I mean is – why were you flying around on that bloody broomstick with Oliver Wood? I saw him! He was touching you – wrapping his arms around you! What just happened out there?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Were you spying on me?"

"No, I was not spying," he retorted. "I watched you and him fly past my office window."

"I just wanted a ride –"

"Just wanted a ride? By yourselves?"

"Oh, would you shut up?" I threw my hands up in the air. "Shut up, alright? He's dating Emily! And I couldn't tell him about _my _love life! It's hard enough being with you in secret! I can't just tell Oliver, 'oh hey, yeah, by the way, I'm dating my Professor!'"

Lupin leaned against the wall opposite me and sighed, rubbing his temples. I bit my lip, realizing what I had just said. He looked at me sadly and I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean – I didn't mean that," I whispered. "That sounded bad, but I mean, no – no, I didn't mean it, I swear. And Oliver… I don't even like Oliver like that, honest! I didn't mean it."

"Then what did you mean?" he said bitterly.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. He went to leave, but I grabbed his hand and held it tightly. "No, don't go," I whimpered. "Please don't go…"

Lupin looked at me and I sighed. I had never felt so close to tears over a guy. Never. I let go of his hand, but he didn't go anywhere.

"I really need you, okay?" I continued. "I really do. I'm scared and I'm alone and I just need you. I didn't mean that. I want to be with you – I like being with you."

"I have to go. It's late," he muttered and he cautiously walked out of the closet. I dropped to the ground, my back against the wall. I let out a loud scream and suddenly, the door opened. I looked up and saw Harry looking down at me as I tugged at my hair. I would not cry, I would not cry, I would not cry…

"Darcy, what are you doing in a broom closet?" Harry asked carefully, looking around.

I looked up at him with big, sad eyes.

Harry nodded, as if he understood. "Come on, Darcy," he pulled me to my feet and patted my shoulder, rubbing my back. "Let's get back to the common room."

I nodded and we climbed the three flights of stairs silently. He said the password to the Fat Lady and I walked towards the couch, collapsing on it. I almost tried to suffocate myself, but thought that it wasn't the best idea. "Flying a broomstick is fun," I said randomly and Harry raised an eyebrow. "It's fun."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And it's dangerous."

"Yeah?"

I hummed a response. "You could be caught flying on a broomstick with someone else on it to protect you from flying and then you could be pulled into a fucking broom closet and yelled at."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," I spat. "And then you could be left in that fucking broomstick by yourself on the verge of fucking tears after telling someone that you need them."

Harry didn't say anything that time.

As if things weren't bad enough, loud footsteps came pounding down the marble stairs and I looked up to see a livid Emily walking towards me, her fists clenched. I stared at her and breathed in sharply. Harry slipped past her, up to his dormitory. The door slammed shut and I stood up, meeting Emily's eyes. I put my hand on my back pocket, feeling for my wand. I gripped it tightly, holding it behind my back. I was ready to jinx the shit out of her.

"Hello," I said quietly and as calmly as I could. My blood was already boiling and my heart was racing. I didn't need another person yelling at me. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," she retorted. "I want to know what you think you were doing with my boyfriend."

"He was letting me fly on his broomstick," I replied. "I was scared and he didn't want me to fall off, so he rode behind me."

Emily raised her eyebrow. "_How dare you_?" she roared and I pointed my wand at her.

"I'm not in the fucking mood," I warned her and Emily glanced down at my wand. She backed up. She knew what would happen. It was how we first met; I jinxed her for calling me a bitch and she learned her lesson. "Get away from me, Emily. You know nothing happened. I wouldn't do anything with Oliver."

Emily frowned and narrowed her eyes at me, grabbing her wand from her back pocket. "_Stupefy!_" she cried and I jumped out of the way of the red light, which hit the wall and bounced back, hitting the back of an armchair.

I didn't even have to say anything. I flicked my wrist and Emily crumpled on the ground, not unconscious, but unable to move. Her eyes were half open. "I said, 'leave me alone'," I repeated and she swallowed loudly. I pointed my wand at her and she closed her eyes. "_Finite_." She stood up and brushed herself off as I walked over to the couch. I sat down, putting my wand beside me and staring into the fire.

"You know what? Don't talk to me!" Emily screamed and I closed my eyes. "Don't talk to me until you feel like finally apologizing!"

"_Apologizing_?" I shouted and I stood up, flipping the coffee table over. I put my hands on either side of my head. I had to control my temper. I _had_ to or else. "Apologize for what, exactly?"

I grabbed my hair and began to pace around the room, my heart beating erratically. My breaths were becoming short and my chest tightened. I covered my face with my trembling hands. "Apologize for – for everything!" Emily watched me carefully, obviously noticing that something was wrong. "I'm going to bed!"

I opened my eyes. The room was spinning. I wanted to cry out for help, but no one was around. What was happening? I knelt down and covered my face again. I was breaking out in a cold sweat and I couldn't concentrate. I laid down and closed my eyes again. I felt goosebumps running up my arms and then chills down my spine and I was breathing quicker and quicker and quicker. I couldn't figure out what was happening.

I don't know how long I was on the ground, but soon, someone was down on the ground beside me. They rolled me onto my back and spread out my arms. I was still shaking; I couldn't feel my fingers anymore, but I could feel my hands trembling.

Someone was mopping my forehead. "Darcy? Darcy? Can you hear me?" Professor McGonagall was the one wiping the cold sweat off my face.

I moaned quietly, scared to death.

"Severus, Pomona, get her down to see Poppy immediately," McGonagall instructed firmly. "Filius and I will get the students back to bed. Come on, children! Get to bed!" There was murmuring and I could hear my name.

The cold washcloth was removed from my forehead and I was being lifted into the air. I was floating down the stairs and shaking and moaning. Finally, we approached the hospital wing and I was gently let down onto a bed. Madam Pomfrey came sprinting out in front of my bed. She took my hand, placing a thumb on my wrist, checking my pulse.

"Good – Merlin's – what happened to her?" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed.

"Panic attack, I assume," Snape spoke. "Her brother found her lying on the Gryffindor common room floor."

"Oh dear, oh dear," she shooed the professors away. "Thank you, thank you. Now out! Both of you!" She took my hands and then pulled away to touch my cheeks. "Darcy! Miss Potter! What happened?"

I looked at her and breathed quickly again, not remembering. "I – I don't know," I whined. "Am I hurt? Am I going to be okay?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded quickly and confidently. "You'll be fine. Calm down, everything's going to be okay," she ran over to a large cabinet and began taking out different kinds of medicines and pills. "Here, this will do. Take these pills."

She had to put them in my mouth for me and I drank some water to swallow them with. I instantly felt relaxed.

"We'll keep you here overnight and tomorrow too," Madam Pomfrey said calmly and I licked my dry lips. "I just want to make sure there aren't any side effects or anything, okay? You'll be okay, though."

I nodded, still worried.

"Do you remember what caused this?"

I shook my head. I did remember, but I didn't want to tell her. I didn't want to tell anyone. I had lost my best friend and my boyfriend in less than an hour. Over something stupid. Over some_one_ stupid!

"Probably that damned Sirius Black talk! It's enough to get _anyone_ worked up!" Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "Go to sleep, Darcy. You'll get your next set of pills in the morning."

She flicked her wand and the lights went out. I climbed under the blankets and pulled them up over my head again, hoping that when I woke up and lowered the blankets, everything would be back to normal.


	17. Dumbledore

**DUMBLEDORE.**

Bright light burned my eyes and I shut them tighter, but it was no use. I opened my eyes, groggy, and I rubbed the sleep out of them. Madam Pomfrey had opened the curtains and didn't notice my waking up. For a second, I forgot why I was even in the hospital wing, but it all came back to me. I remembered. I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted from losing some of the few people I cared about the most.

"Madam Pomfrey?" My throat was raw and I felt numb. I cleared my throat, but my eyes widened and I felt like puking up blood. The nurse whipped around and ran over to me from her cupboard, pills in her hand.

"Perfect timing, dear!" she grinned and she handed me the pills, along with a tall glass of water. "Here, take these."

I did as she told me. My heart ached. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven."

"Has anyone come to see me?" I asked, my heart beating quickly.

"Miss Granger stopped by before breakfast, but she left when she saw you were sleeping," Madam Pomfrey said, taking the empty glass from my hands. "And Professor Lupin stopped by with Professor Dumbledore. Professor Lupin thought the dementors got to you because you were as pale as the moon."

I was silent. He _had_ come to see me. Did that mean that we were okay? "Madam Pomfrey, may I leave?"

She looked at me and considered it for a minute. I raised my eyebrows. "Fine, yes, but go back to your dormitory, do you understand?" she said firmly. I nodded eagerly. "Your dormitory to rest. You may skip the rest of your classes. Tomorrow you will be better enough to go back. I just don't want to risk you having another panic attack."

I nodded.

"Oh, and dearie, Professor Dumbledore requested a word with you tonight," she called after me. "He will be coming to your common room at eight o' clock sharp – that's what he told me. But for now, Darcy, please get your rest."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied and I walked back towards my common room. I shoved my hands deep in my pockets. My wand wasn't in them, so I assumed it was back at the common room. My jacket was also gone – most likely back with my wand.

I entered the common room and the hot fire made me immediately tired. I heard Max hooting and squawking from upstairs and I ran up to my pet owl. I let him out of his cage and he rested on my left arm while I wrote a letter with my right hand.

_Professor Lupin,_

_I know things aren't going great for us, but I'd like to see you again._

_When can I see you again?_

_Darcy._

I threw my quill on my bedside table and put the envelope in Max's beak. I stroked his head. "Please take this to him while he's alone," I whispered. "Can you do that, love?"

Max cooed and I grinned. He gave me a playful peck and I opened the window and sent him on his way.

At eight o' clock that evening, Professor Dumbledore told me to take a walk with him around the castle. I was nervous, but he seemed cheerful enough and I nodded, following him outside. We didn't speak for a little and he held his hands behind his back, humming a tune I was unfamiliar with.

"Sir?" I began, but Dumbledore cut me off.

"I was curious about your panic attack," Dumbledore finished and I swallowed, looking at my feet as they tried to keep up with Dumbledore's long strides. "At first, I thought that it must be all the Sirius Black commotion. Professor Lupin tells me you're quite worried about Black entering the castle again. Is this true?"

"I – I – yes," I replied softly.

"Is that all that's bothering you?" Dumbledore asked suspiciously.

"Yessir."

"You spend a lot of time with Professor Lupin, Darcy, or so I've noticed," Dumbledore let out a chuckle. "Professor Snape suspects something between you two, but I've reassured him otherwise. I can understand why you'd be so interested in him. He knew your parents after all."

"Yessir."

"Do you talk often about them?" Dumbledore inquired and I shrugged.

"Sometimes," I answered truthfully.

"I sometimes wonder if Harry talks to him about it," Dumbledore sighed contently. I felt awkward and embarrassed on the subject of Professor Lupin. "He, Professor Lupin, is happier than I've seen him in quite a while, dear. Being in the presence of both Potter's… and you two could pass for your parents, as well. I can't tell if it truly makes him happy or not… I can't help but think it makes him a bit disappointed sometimes."

"Surely it isn't anything I've done… ?"

"You?" Dumbledore laughed. "No, no, no. Professor Lupin just misses his friends is all. It must be hard seeing exact copies of his old friends every day."

I was quiet.

"You are like your father, Darcy Potter," Dumbledore said seriously. "I believe that some are fooled by your appearance. They expect you to be your mother in your personality, but alas, you are not. You are the same brilliant troublemaker your father was. Although, I believe Harry has received most of his mother's genes. He is kind and compassionate – you are too, but without you, Harry would not be as brave as he is."

"Excuse me?"

"He adores you. Worships you. He loves you," Dumbledore explained. "You care for him, but not in a motherly way. I wouldn't expect you to be a mother figure to him; you and Harry are only a few years apart. I think it is best that you just act as a… concerned older sister. As long as you pave a good path for yourself, Harry will follow."

"I try to 'pave myself a good path'," I admitted. "My temper just flares sometimes and I can't help –"

"I know you can't help it sometimes," Dumbledore held up his hand to stop me from speaking. "I know, Darcy. You are doing the best you can."

"Yessir."

I realized that Dumbledore had led me to right outside Lupin's classroom. "Look inside, Miss Potter."

I stood on my tip toes and, through the small window near the top of the wooden door, I looked as Dumbledore had instructed me to. Lupin was with Harry and Lupin was relighting candles as Harry stood up, running his fingers through his hair and eating a small block of chocolate. "Patronuses," I said simply.

"They told you, hm?" Dumbledore asked and I kept watching as Lupin and Harry began to talk. Lupin sat on a large trunk that was shaking somewhat; a boggart was in there, no doubt. "Impressive for a third year to begin working on that. But, considering what you did with your patronus the first day, I have no doubt that Harry will be able to conjure one soon."

I looked back at Dumbledore.

"I think it's important that Professor Lupin is here this year, Darcy," Dumbledore told me. I leaned against the door and sighed. "Do you want to know why?"

I nodded.

"He is a connection for you and your brother to the past. With him, you will know about your parents. I feel that with him here, you have someone to care for you two as family. It is as if we're reuniting him with family," Dumbledore paused, looking at me intensely. "Did you know that your father helped him with his financial problems?"

That made sense. Lupin's being a werewolf made getting a job harder. I wondered what Dumbledore would say if I told him I knew about Lupin's condition… would he be mad? I decided to keep it to myself. But something about what Dumbledore told me bothered me. He expected Lupin to care about me like an uncle would. Did I want that? No. I wanted him to care for me like a girlfriend. "I did not, sir," I whispered.

"It is good for him and you and your brother to be together," Dumbledore said and he put a hand on my shoulder. I looked down at my shoes again. "I feel it's for the best, considering the fact that Sirius Black is on the loose. I think with two Potter's around him, he will know who he must remain loyal to. Despite Professor Snape's theories about Professor Lupin helping Sirius Black, he wouldn't do that if it meant his best friend's children would be in danger."

I looked in through the window again. Harry had collapsed again. Lupin was helping him sit up, offering my brother more chocolate. I sighed deeply and saw an owl fly in through Lupin's window. Lupin looked at it, tilted his head and took the letter from his beak. It was Max. It was my letter. My heart fluttered as Lupin opened it and looked at it for a long time. Harry was staring at the letter in his hands.

Lupin tossed the letter to the side and it landed on his desk. I felt my heart sink. Didn't he care? Didn't he want to see me?

"Tell me if this is a good idea, Darcy," Dumbledore suddenly said and I turned to him, returning to reality. I raised my eyebrows. "Professor McGonagall mentioned it to me a few days ago. A Valentine's Day ball to get everyone's mind off Sirius Black and for the graduating class of 1994. Does that appeal to you, Miss Potter?"

"A ball? A dance? Oh, I guess that'd be nice…" I shrugged. Who would I go with? I obviously couldn't go with my first choice… "Yeah, that'd be fun."

Dumbledore smiled. "I will leave you now, Darcy, to return to your common room while I go back to my office," he said quietly. "I am sure we will see each other tomorrow. Try not to have any more panic attacks, okay?"

"Deal," I laughed and with that, Dumbledore patted my shoulder once more and turned the other way. I took one last look in the classroom, saw that Harry and Lupin were just talking, and I left.

I didn't receive a message back from Lupin that night and when I woke up the next morning, I was still overtired and exhausted from my panic attack. I made it through the day with only one detention – from Professor Snape.

I walked into his classroom and threw my books down on a desk, getting out my Transfiguration notes and studying. Snape showed up five minutes late and he flew past my desk, his black robes hitting me in the face as he passed. I grunted and continued looking down at my book.

Snape sat down at his desk and stared at me. His lips curled into a sneer. I looked up and searched his cold, hard face. "You aren't studying your potions? You've been slacking," he muttered.

I sighed, actually afraid. "Yessir," I replied quickly and as I got out my book, Snape's eyes widened. I was sure he was expecting some kind of sarcastic remark from me, but I just was too tired.

Snape's quill scratched the paper in front of him and I flipped some pages of the book. "You know, I voiced my opinion about Lupin to Dumbledore," Snape continued. "He wasn't interested, so it seemed. And then I told him about you two. Just to be on the safe side."

"Why?" I asked calmly, not looking up at him.

"Because I am no idiot," Snape snarled and I looked up at him.

I still didn't lose my temper. I just looked at Snape and he looked at me and neither one of us dared look away. I finally looked down and flipped the page of my book. "There's nothing going on between us," I said quietly and Snape scoffed. "Why don't you like him in the first place?"

I knew it was stupid to ask that question. Snape would never have shared any secrets or personal stories with me. Of all people – _me_. I almost wanted to laugh, but I didn't have it in me. Snape only scowled and pretended that he couldn't hear me.

I couldn't help but to think that Snape was surprised about me that night in detention. I rarely got detention with Snape in the first place, but when I did, I shot back smart ass comments and insults left and right. I wouldn't address him as 'sir' or 'Professor' and I would hardly talk to him. I would ignore him when he spoke to me. He just bothered me. But that night, I was polite to him. I was nice and polite and I addressed him correctly and didn't lose my temper.

When detention was over, I walked solemnly back to the Gryffindor common room, my hands shoved deeply into my pockets.

I was nice to Snape. _Nice_ to Snape. Or, at least from my point of view, I was nice to him. I was afraid to talk to Lupin. Afraid to talk to Emily or Harry or Hermione or Ron. I was now afraid to talk to Dumbledore. I was afraid he'd figure out that Snape had been right.

I had crawled back into my shell after more than a decade.


	18. The Cleverest Witch

**THE CLEVEREST WITCH.**

After days and days of avoiding everyone, even Harry, I was finally approached by Emily on a Thursday, who knew right away that something was wrong with me. I continued to deny it, but she could see right through me. I wasn't kidding anyone. I was shy, quiet, and I was actually beginning to lose all my friends.

She told me that Oliver Wood had broken up with her because of what she did to me and she apologized sincerely. That's one thing I liked about Emily – she always meant her apologies.

Although she knew that something had me down, she couldn't put her finger on it. At first, she assumed it was Snape because of my many detentions I was getting. She thought I was failing Potions, but I wasn't. I was actually doing better than I ever had before. Then she thought it was the dementors because I spent loads of time in Hogsmeade, where the dementors were close by to take watch. Her last guess was Sirius Black. She had smart assumptions, but none of them were even close to right.

It was like that until one day in late January, we were sitting by the fireplace. I was doing my Potions essay and Emily was flipping through her Divination book. She shut it loudly and I looked at her.

"I'm single," she said with a grin and I raised my eyebrows and nodded, looking back at my essay. I was almost finished. I licked my lips, ready to hear about which boys she could chase after now that she wasn't with Oliver. "So guess who I'm going to talk to?"

"Uh, I don't know," I replied quietly.

She leaned in close to me and said in a hushed voice, "Professor Lupin."

I nearly choked. Even though Lupin and I weren't on speaking terms, I still had strong feelings for my professor. I had fallen hard for him and could not, for the life of me, get him out of my head. Despite the awful plan she had come up with to seduce him, I kept my temper. My temper was normally controlled then, even around Snape.

Emily's plan was to stay after class with him with questions about her class. Then, she said, she would ask about his love life (as if he'd actually tell her). And then, she finished, they would kiss and it would be perfect.

My cheeks flushed.

It was Hermione who brought up the Valentines Ball on the second of February. The ball had completely slipped my mind and I almost groaned out loud just thinking about it. We were walking down towards the Great Hall for breakfast when Hermione asked if I was excited.

"I suppose," was my reply, weak and quiet. I was awfully bored with the topic already.

"Are you going to go?" Hermione asked again. I had failed to inform her that Lupin and I weren't talking. "I know that your first choice can't really ask you, but you can go with me if you'd like. I don't think my first choice is going to me, either."

"Is that so?" I asked, actually surprised. "I would have thought Harry or Ron would have at least invited you to go with them."

Hermione's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "Yes, well, are you going to go? It would do you some good to do something. You've been awfully quiet these past few days."

"Classes are getting to me," I lied through my teeth. I stared straight ahead. "Too much homework for one person."

She laughed softly. "You'll help me pick out a dress, won't you?" she continued and I finally looked at the younger girl, her eyes shining brightly. She was beaming. "I really want you to help me. I saw that dress you wore in your fifth year – Harry showed me a picture. You'd be a great help, Darcy."

"Yeah… yeah, I'll help," I smiled slightly and Hermione sighed a huge sigh of relief. We entered the Great Hall. Lupin didn't look up at all and my heart sank. _Would_ he go after Emily? It made my blood boil. "Want to go this weekend? It's a Hogsmeade weekend, after all."

"You're going to use the Invisibility Cloak, aren't you?" she said disapprovingly.

"Yes. But I'll take it off when I get in! No one even notices that I'm there…" My voice trailed off as I stared at Lupin. He was eating his food quickly and I noticed that he was pale and sick looking. Of course – the full moon was rapidly approaching.

When I reached Defense Against the Dark Arts that day, Emily told me that that was the day she was going to put her 'well thought out' plan into action. I said nothing, but nodded at her. She sat eagerly in the front seat as usual with me and leaned forward a bit so if one were to stand in front of her, they could see clearly down her shirt. I clenched my fists under the table.

Coincidentally, that was also the day where we were to be practicing producing our Patronuses, so that at the end of the month, Lupin could give everyone full marks. I was having a hard time producing one just because I couldn't think of happy memories… I didn't _want_ to think of my happy memories because they could made me sad again.

So when Lupin walked over to me and looked at both me and Emily, he nodded, watching us carefully. Emily went first and she produced a Patronus that didn't last long. Her cat vanished only after a few seconds.

"Miss Potter," Lupin said hoarsely and I cringed at the way he called me that instead of my first name. I licked my lips and thought of us together and confidently said the incantation, trying to prove to Lupin that I wasn't upset at our break.

Suddenly, my Patronus took form and as I held out my wand, I whipped around to see if anyone was casting one behind me. But that wasn't my Patronus…

"Darcy, isn't yours a dog?" Emily asked me and I nodded slowly, looking at Lupin. His eyebrows were raised and his eyes were opened wide. "What _is_ that thing? A wolf?"

What stood before us, in silvery blue, was a werewolf. It was on all fours, running in circles in front of me. I began to tremble and I lowered my wand. The werewolf disappeared and Lupin nodded again, and then walked away.

"How come yours changed?" Emily asked immediately. "And why is it _that_ thing? It's hideous!"

"It's not!" I protested a bit too loud. Everyone turned to hear our argument, but I quieted down again, a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" Emily laughed to herself. "Your dog was much better. I can't understand how a thing like that would be your Patronus!"

She said it as Lupin walked by. I didn't turn to look at him. "I think it's lovely, thank you," I spat and I walked back over to my desk. "At least I can conjure a Patronus."

Emily frowned. She shook her hair out of her face and she followed me to our desk. "You know," she whispered. "I'm still going to stay after today. You know… the _plan_?"

"Yeah, I know," I replied, looking away from her.

"Does it bother you or something?" she stood up to her full height and I glared at her. "Does it bother you that I'm going to do this?"

"Why would it bother me?" I grumbled.

"I don't know. If you like him, just say so."

"I don't." I crossed my arms.

Emily's eyes widened and her mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. She stood in front of me, leaning down to my face so no one could hear her speaking. "_He's_ the one who made you upset like this, isn't he?" she asked.

I faltered and shook my head. "That's gross. It's not him. He's got nothing to do with this."

"Well in _that_ case…" she giggled and I left the classroom as the bell rang.

_Later that day…_

"Darcy, where's your bracelet?" Hermione asked me. "Weren't you wearing it this morning?"

"I –"

Luckily enough, I didn't have to answer because Emily came storming into the common room, her fists clenched by her side and her face red. She walked right in front of me and I looked up from my Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. She breathed out slowly and then breathed in again. "He didn't want me," she said quietly. "I tried! But he wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't what?" I asked curiously. I almost wanted to laugh in her face.

"He wouldn't kiss me or touch me or anything!" she replied and Hermione cocked an eyebrow and looked at me. "Professor Lupin specifically told me that any student seeking a relationship with a professor is crazy and insane and it'll never happen! He told me it was stupid to think it could happen and actually work!"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at me and kept her eyebrow raised. Emily sat down on the couch beside her and I felt my heart beat faster and faster. I couldn't tell if I was angry or upset. I think I had seen it coming. "Well," Hermione cleared her throat and Emily glared at her. "It could be because Professor Lupin has a girlfriend or something…"

"No, I asked him. He said he was single."

Hermione stood up and looked at me. I looked sadly up at her. "Darcy, I forgot!" she said and she backed up towards the stone steps. "I've got some Transfiguration homework I need help with. I was wondering if you could help me."

"Sure," I answered and I stood up, following Hermione to the dorm and leaving Emily by the fire. "What is it, Hermione?"

"It's not about homework – I finished all of it already," Hermione said quietly and I stopped in front of my bed. "I was wondering about you and you know… _him_. What just happened down there? And you aren't wearing the bracelet anymore! What's going on?"

"Nothing," I hissed and Hermione crossed her arms. "Nothing's going on. Emily just tried to seduce him is all."

"And you don't care?"

"Why should I?" I spat. "Not like he cares anymore."

Hermione touched my shoulder. "We're talking about this tomorrow."

"No," I replied. "I don't want to talk about it, alright? Just drop it. It's none of your business anyway."

"You love him, you know," Hermione smiled sweetly. "You've never been this upset over anyone."

I looked at her and closed my eyes. "You really are the cleverest witch I've ever met, Hermione."

_The Next Day…_

I knocked on the door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, Lupin's bracelet held tightly in my hand. When he didn't answer, I walked in. I was going to give it back – we had moved too fast and if he didn't want to talk to me, I didn't want his stupid bracelet.

I walked up the few steps to his office and knocked again. I heard some sort of noise and I let myself in. Lupin looked up at me and he breathed in sharply and his eyes widened.

"_Get out_," he groaned.

"I – I –" I felt like I was about to cry. "I came to return this bracelet. Then I'll get out and you won't ever have to talk to me again."

"_Please,_ Darcy, get out _now_."

"No! I'm not leaving until you take the bracelet! I don't want it anymore! Obviously, I'm not the one who deserves it!"

"Darcy!" he shouted and then he pointed towards the window. "Darcy, I don't want you to see me, please…"

I backed up and shut the door. "I'm staying with you," I breathed and Lupin breathed out, shaking his head slowly, his forehead creasing. "You've taken your potion, haven't you?" He nodded. "Then I'm staying."

"Darcy, get out," he said again. "I don't want you to see me like this."

"I've already seen you before!" I protested. "What does it matter? Have you seen my Patronus, Remus? It's you!"

He grew taller, his legs getting skinnier and his hands growing and sprouting claws. He had transformed into a whimpering werewolf, his clothes in a scattered pile at his feet. He backed up into a corner and when I tried to get closer, he would move again to a different corner. After a few minutes of circling the room just trying to get close to him, I settled into a corner and sighed, stuffing the bracelet into my cloak pocket.

I watched him for a few seconds as he sat down in the corner opposite me and curled into a ball, falling asleep. I closed my eyes and not for one second was I scared…

Someone was shaking me awake. I opened my eyes and saw that the sun had just risen. Lupin was dressed again and he was kneeling beside me. "You have to wake up," he whispered. "You've got classes in two hours."

I moaned and closed my eyes again.

"Surely you can't be comfortable sleeping like that," he smiled slightly and I stood up. He stood up with me, wincing a little. "I didn't think I'd still find you there when I turned back into myself."

"I told you I was staying," I replied, avoiding eye contact with him.

"I won't be teaching today. I'll be resting."

"I figured. That's what you always do."

He glanced out the window. "If you have something to say, then say it now. You've got time, haven't you?"

I nodded and with a trembling hand, I pulled the bracelet out of my pocket and held out my hand. He opened his palm and I placed it in his. "I think we moved too fast. I don't want this anymore because you obviously don't want me. And this bracelet should belong to someone you _do_ want."

Lupin looked up sadly at me. "I didn't say I didn't –"

"Just take it!" I yelled and he closed his hand.

"I want you to have –"

"No," I said again, slumping my shoulders. "I don't want it, okay? Just take it back. Give it to someone else."

"But I don't want anyone else to have it."

I shook my head. "It's too late for that, isn't it?"


	19. The Ball

**THE BALL.**

"Hermione, how about this one?" I asked, holding up a blue dress. "Nevermind, it's too ugly."

"Darcy, you're supposed to be looking for _you_!" Hermione said, looking through some dresses. "I've already found a dress for me!" She held up a red dress.

"Hermione, I told you before," I sighed, walking over to her. "I'm not going to the ball. You know why." She shrugged and shook her head, smiling. "You haven't told anyone what happened, right?"

"No," she replied. "I haven't told anyone. I thought that if you wanted them to know, you'd tell them yourself."

I smiled at her.

"But this dress _would_ look really good on you, Darcy," Hermione pulled a dress off the rack and held up an emerald green dress. It was strapless, came to about mid thigh and I sighed. "Seriously, at least try it on, and then will you consider going?"

"It is pretty," I admitted to her. "But I refuse to wear that thing to a dance where there will be hormonal boys everywhere –"

"But don't you want to get Lupin back?" Hermione whispered.

I stared at her and breathed in sharply. I felt my cheeks turn pink so I looked away and pretended to be looking for another dress. "Well, I, um – I don't think – that's not the point," I stuttered and Hermione smirked. "He doesn't want me back, so it's not important. I just don't want to go because there's no one there that I want to go with."

"Come on, Darcy," Hermione begged. "I need you to go with me, please? And Emily is going and I hear she's going to try to seduce Professor Lupin. I'm going to stop her."

"She's _what_?" I screamed and everyone looked at me. I ducked, hoping no one saw me that would send me back to Hogwarts. I knew McGonagall patrolled Hogsmeade often and if she saw me, she would never let me out of the castle again. "Are you lying to me?"

"N – no!" Hermione shook her head furiously. "She came up to me the other day and asked about him. Then she told me all about this 'plan' she had. It wasn't a good plan at all, actually."

I licked my lips. "This dress doesn't even have straps."

"So?"

"_So_," I began and I pulled back my coat to reveal my shoulder's scars. "Everyone will be able to see my scars. And Lupin already hates that I have them. He'll feel guilty and he'll never even look at me."

"I'm sure there's some kind of spell I can find that'll hide them," Hermione promised and I smiled weakly nodded. "Do they bother you?"

"No, not me," I said. "It only bothers me that they bother Lupin. Does that make sense?"

Hermione nodded. "Perfect. So you're going? And you're going to buy this dress?" I looked at her and shrugged and then nodded slowly. She grinned. "Great! Go try it on – I'll be right out here."

Grabbing the dress, I walked into the small dressing room and put it on. To be honest, the scars weren't even that bad anymore. They were still visible, yes, but they were a light pink and kind of blended with my skin. I spun around and breathed in, feeling self conscious.

"Darcy, come out and let me see!" Hermione knocked on the door.

"O – Okay," I muttered. I opened the door and crack and stuck my head out, looking at her. "Just promise you won't laugh."

"I won't laugh! Why would I laugh? Just come on –"

"Shit!" I grumbled and I retreated back into the dressing room, pulling Hermione in with me. We both looked out of the crack in the door. Lupin had walked casually into the store, at the other end, his hands in his pockets. He walked over, looking at new dress robes and shoes. "What is he doing here?"

"Buying things to impress you with, obviously," Hermione smiled.

"Or Emily," I added.

"Not Emily," Hermione said. She looked at me. "You look fantastic, by the way! Gorgeous! If you stepped outside right now and he saw you, he'd want you back right away."

I frowned and flattened the wrinkles in the dress, blushing. "I can't go out while he's here."

"Well, we can't stay in here forever. Just come on," she unzipped the back of my dress for me and then slipped outside, shutting the door again. "Get dressed and we'll pay quickly. Don't you have the Invisibility Cloak with you?"

"No," I replied. "I had it when I came here, but I let Harry use it. He's in Zonko's with Ron, I think."

"Well, I don't know how long he's going to be here," Hermione said in a hushed voice. "Come on! He's on the other side of the store!"

I quickly changed back into my clothes and rushed out of the dressing room. With my dress on my arm, Hermione and I almost ran to the counter and we threw our dresses on the counter. I grabbed enough money out of my purse for both dresses and slammed it on the counter, but I made too much noise and people stared at us. Even Lupin turned around.

We stared at each other for a second and my breath hitched at the cashier continued to count the money. The corners of his mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile, but I quickly looked away and as the lady behind the counter put our dresses into long bags, we sped out of the shop.

_That night…_

"Max? Max? Max!" I opened the window and called my owl's name out into the dark, but my owl didn't return. "MAX!"

Suddenly, something feathery smacked me in the face and I fell backwards. Max screeched and my nose was bleeding.

"Damn – Max, come here!" With one hand holding my bleeding nose and the other grabbing for Max, I must have looked ridiculous when Emily walked in. She raised an eyebrow and grabbed me some tissues for my nose. I sat down on my bed and Max landed in my lap, a note in his beak. I stroked his feathers, wanting so bad to smack him for the bloody nose he gave me. "Can you throw these out?" I handed Emily the bloody tissues and she looked at me awkwardly and nodded.

I removed the note from Max's beak and opened it, making sure Emily couldn't read it.

_Darcy,_

_I miss you. I still have the bracelet. It belongs to you. Come take it back._

_Remus_

I frowned and looked at Emily, who was walking back. "Who is that from?" she asked and I shook my head and crumpled the note up, holding my wand up and burning it to nothing. "Okay then."

"It was just something stupid," I told her. "Nothing important."

Honestly, Lupin was very important to me. I wanted so badly to go back and see him, but I couldn't. I wanted him to come to me. I didn't want to be the weak one. "So, have you gotten your dress for the ball?"

"Yeah, I went with Hermione to get mine today," I told her. "Did you get yours?"

Emily was already racing to get it from her bag. When she pulled it out, my eyes widened. It was yellow and very pretty. It was the kind of dress that would hug all her curves and the back was laced – it was something that would show a lot of skin. "You like it?"

"Y – yeah," I faltered. "Who are you trying to impress?"

"Professor Lupin, of course!" she grinned. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"You know, I saw him shopping today," I said quickly. "For new dress robes and shoes and stuff."

"Good for him," Emily said, putting her dress away. "He needs some new clothes. I always wonder why he dresses like that."

"Like what?"I asked angrily.

"Like he's poor."

I didn't answer; I shrugged. "You don't know what he's been through, Em," I told her quietly. "I don't think the way he dresses is that bad."

"Yeah, yeah," Emily sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll be down in the common room."

I looked at her and nodded. She walked out and I fell back on my bed.

The next week leading up to the ball, Lupin refused to look at me in the halls, class, or the Great Hall for meals and he wouldn't even call on me to answer questions during class. When we practiced our Patronuses, he wouldn't come near me and he never watched me anymore. The separation was killing me. I thought he missed me? Was it because I didn't answer his note that he was being so bitter? Or was it because we were around other people?

Regardless, Saturday morning came and I was to be going to the ball with George Weasley. The plan, in fact, was to get Lupin to at least speak to me once. I admitted to Harry and the Weasley's my troubles with Lupin and they secretly devised a plan on their own time.

I changed into my green dress, slipped black heels on and curled my hair so it fell over my shoulder, hiding the scars. Hermione reassured me I looked beautiful, but it was hard to believe it. I walked down the stairs to the common room where George was waiting. Harry, Ron, and Hermione left to go down to the Great Hall. Fred and his date, Angelina, went as well.

George held out his arm for me to take and I smiled sweetly at him. I wasn't aware of the whole plan yet. I took his arm and as we left, he spoke out of the corner of his mouth as we began to proceed down the seven flights of moving staircases.

"The plan," he muttered. "Is to simply make him jealous. Burn with anger. Seething. We men will pass you around and dance with you, kiss your cheek, hold your hand…"

"George," I whispered back. "I don't think I can do this. I don't want to make him angry at me… I just want him to talk to me. Or look at me."

"He will, love," George assured me, winking. "Hermione actually has got quite the eye for formal dresses. You look stunning tonight. He won't be able to keep his eyes off you."

I blushed. As we walked down the last flight of stairs, I held onto George's hand tightly. We stepped down onto the first step and Lupin looked up briefly towards the stairs and his gaze lingered, but as our eyes met, he quickly looked away as if he hadn't seen me. I gripped George's hand tighter.

"Step one," he grinned, spotting his twin below. "Get Lupin to look at you: complete."

He escorted me into the fabulously decorated Great hall and as the first song began to play, he twirled me around and danced with me. I smiled. "Thank you," I whispered, looking up at him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Seriously. Thank you for everything."

"My pleasure," he said softly with a smile. I tried not to look away from George, but I couldn't help myself and I saw Lupin out of the corner of my eye. He was standing by himself, chaperoning the dance and he was wearing not particularly great looking robes, he was wearing better ones than he had worn in the past. "See him?"

"What? No – I wasn't –"

"Right," George laughed.

As the song ended and the second song started, George took my hands and spun me around and let me go, pushing me towards Fred, who caught me in his arms. He danced with me, kissed my cheek and my hand, and then passed me over to Oliver Wood, who was close by. Oliver then passed me to Ron, and he passed me to Lee Jordan, who was my final dance partner before returning to George once more.

"Are you having fun?" George asked me.

"Yeah," I said truthfully, looking up at him.

"I was looking at Lupin," George told me. "He keeps looking at you. Everytime another person touches you, he looks like he could kill. Honestly."

"Really?" I smiled and tried to look for him. George nodded. "Do you think he'll talk to me tonight?"

George nodded and I rested my head on his chest as we swayed to the music. "You know, Darcy, I can't say that your whole situation is normal," he said. "But I feel bad for you. I hate seeing you like this. I never knew that there was a side of you when you weren't ready to hex someone. But I suppose he's lucky I haven't punched him yet, eh?"

We both laughed and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around quickly, hoping to see Lupin, but I saw Hermione standing before me.

"Would you like to dance with me too, Hermione?" I chuckled and Hermione shook her head and laughed. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me over towards the punch. We began to pour some drinks for ourselves.

"How's your night?" she asked and I nodded, swallowing the drink.

"Wonderful, actually."

"See? I knew you just had to come!" she grinned brightly. She quieted down for a second and I knew what she was about to ask. "Have you talked to Professor Lupin tonight?"

Instead of looking at her, I looked straight at the ground. "No, I haven't," I said. "I'm too scared."

"Since when has Darcy Potter _ever_ been scared?" Hermione shook her head and sighed. "Just go talk to him."

"It's not that easy, Hermione," I whispered, trying to find him in the crowd. Fortunately, Emily was on the other side of the Great Hall and they were nowhere near close to each other. "What would I talk about? I can't just go up to him and start having this heartfelt conversation! We're in front of the whole school."

Hermione looked at me sadly. "Just smile at him or something. Make sure he knows you're thinking about him."

"Hermione," I sighed and laughed to myself. "Goddammit, for a thirteen year old, you sure are a great help sometimes."

She smiled proudly.


	20. The Broom Closet

**THE BROOM CLOSET.**

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. A blush crept on my face, as I expected it to be Professor Lupin, but as a I turned around, I saw Hagrid standing there. I looked past him at Ron and Harry, who gave me the thumbs up. I cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "Come on Darcy," Hagrid smiled. "Dance with me, will ya?"

"Of course, Hagrid," I curtsied and fell into step with the giant gamekeeper. I looked around and noticed people were laughing and staring and Hermione was soon dancing with Dumbledore, trying to get everyone's eyes off me. Although I didn't mind. Hagrid would lift me up in the air with one hand and then set me back down, twirling me around.

But when I scanned the room again for Hermione, I saw Emily. She was dancing with Professor Lupin. I felt my blood boil, but Lupin was looking at me. Our eyes locked and as the dance ended, we both looked back towards our partners. I curtsied again and Hagrid bowed, returning to the other professors standing by.

I breathed in sharply and looked around the room. I tried to walk quickly past George, but he caught me and held me. "Darcy, what's going on?" he whispered, trying to calm me down. "Stay here, stay here."

I looked up at George, tears stinging my eyes. I pulled away from him and ran out of the Great Hall, turning the corner and entering an empty broom closet. I took off my high heels, which were hurting my feet. No one entered the broom closet and I don't think anyone even knew I was in there, forcing myself not to cry.

I was sitting there for a good five minutes until the door opened. I didn't look up. I heard a voice say, "Stand up, Darcy." Finally, I looked up and jumped to my feet. Lupin was looking down at me. "Will you dance with me?"

I wiped my eyes and hesitantly took his hand and shoulder and he pulled me close to his body – closer than he had held Emily. He rested a hand on my waist, the other in my own hand. "Enjoy your dance with Emily?" I sneered. "Did she finally succeed in seducing you?"

"Seducing me? Absolutely not!" he hissed. "I wanted to dance with you, but with all the accusations about us, I thought it would be a bad idea." He brushed my hair off of my shoulder and fingered the scars before putting his hand back on my waist.

"Why haven't you been talking to me? Or looking at me?" I whimpered, looking down at our shuffling feet. "Why did you do that? After what happened between us? After seeing my Patronus! That hurt me! I wish you have said something about it, but you didn't… All you did was send that stupid letter… You couldn't say that to my face?"

"Darcy, listen to me and don't interrupt, okay?" he said and I nodded. "This whole school year, I've been happy, mostly because of you. You're a student, though, and I didn't want to risk my job because it's hard enough for me to find one. So I tried to convince myself I was only infatuated with you because you look like Lily and act like James. But the more that I got to know you and the more time we spent together, I realized that it wasn't just infatuation or a silly crush. And then your Patronus changed and I couldn't – I just couldn't believe it…

"So I tried to push you out of my mind, but I couldn't. You were always there. I was always thinking about you and I couldn't stop. I couldn't get you out of my head. So I tried to find some way to just forget about you. Then Oliver came up and I thought it was the perfect idea –"

"You bastard!" I yelled and I pulled away from him.

"I told you not to interrupt," he said calmly, taking my hands in his. "But when we weren't together – that's when I realized it. I realized that I feel for you now is amazing and I want you. I am willing to give up everything to be with you." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the bracelet. "So I think that you _do_ deserve this, Darcy."

"Remus," I faltered as he put the bracelet on my wrist. There was so much I wanted to say to him, but he had just said it all.

"What I feel for you is not infatuation," he whispered, holding me tightly. "It's actually – well, I love you. I love you, Darcy Potter." My hands were trembling as he held them in his own warm ones. We stared at each other and he breathed in deeply. I was at a loss for words. What was I supposed to say after that?

"Will you kiss me now?" I breathed.

"I'm forgiven?" he smiled weakly.

I nodded.

He kissed my lips softly and then pulled away. "Do you love me, Darcy?" he asked quietly. We had stopped moving. We had stopped moving for a while, but I had only then realized it.

I opened my mouth to answer, but the door swung wide open and we both threw ourselves against the opposite walls. Snape walked in between us and smirked, crossing his arms. "What are you two doing in _here_? I believe the Ball is in the Great Hall."

"Well, you see," I stuttered. "I was supposed to meet my date here in five minutes, but then Lupin came in here looking for a broom because he needed to clean up his quarters. Here you go, sir." I quickly picked up a broom and thrust it into Lupin's hands. He nodded, but Snape only raised an eyebrow.

"That's right," Lupin pushed past Snape, but I wasn't so successful.

Snape grabbed my arm tightly and pushed me back into the closet. "Sir, I don't think my date will be meeting me here, so I'll just be –"

Snape held up his finger to shut me up and then he reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a small vial of a clear potion. "Do you know what this is?" he asked slowly.

"It's Veritaserum, sir."

"One drop of it," he paused. "And you will reveal to me and to the headmaster your relations with your professor."

I stared at him. "I assure you, professor," I replied quietly. "I don't know what you're talking about. Professor Lupin and I are just – just friends."

"Don't lie," he took a step back. "To me." He pocketed the Veritaserum and then held the door open, his black eyes meeting mine once again. "Go to your dormitory and stay there. You are done here, I think."

Snape left quickly, his black robes billowing behind him. I sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, running my fingers through my hair. I grabbed my high heels off the ground and stepped out of the closet, running up the stairs as fast as I could, trying not to be seen by any of my friends. I finally reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts room and I burst in and shut the door quietly behind me, fixing my hair and pulling up my dress.

I walked up the steps to Lupin's office, but he wasn't there. I then walked to his quarters and knocked almost silently. I knocked three times very lightly.

"Come in!" he shouted. It seemed as if he didn't know it was me.

I walked in and Lupin looked up at me, walking out of his bedroom. He smiled weakly and with his wand, he lit a fire in the fireplace and sat down on the couch, patting the seat next to him. I set my shoes down and sat beside him, clearing my throat and flattening the wrinkles in my green dress. I looked down at the fire now burning brightly and Lupin touched my hand.

"Darcy…" he whispered. He looked towards the fire as well.

I looked up at him and my eyes widened. I noticed how defined his jaw was. How his scars were so faded and pink and they made him look so handsome. His eyes were more gold than anything and the firelight reflected in them. Why had I never noticed how handsome he was? He was impossibly handsome. He scrunched his long nose and ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair.

He glanced at me and caught me staring. He chuckled to himself; a hoarse laugh echoed throughout my ears and the whole room. I suddenly felt self-conscious and I drew my hand away from him and fixed my dress and my hair yet again.

Lupin stood and turned the lights off in his bedroom and the kitchen unit and then he sat back on the couch and looked at me. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, confused and flustered. He picked up a book on the coffee table and began to read. I looked at him again. His hair fell perfectly, but he continued to shake his head so his hair would get out of his eyes. The stubble on his cheek was sexy; I wanted to just touch his face.

I began to wonder if he thought anything about me was sexy.

"I know you don't want to watch me read all night," he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his thin lips. "Do you?" He turned to face me, the book now in his lap.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I felt a funny feeling in my stomach. Different from butterflies. It tingled. No one had ever made me feel that way before. "I don't mind," I whispered. "We can do whatever you want to."

He raised his eyebrows and his cheeks turned a bright red and he looked away from me again. "I don't think you'd want to do what I want to."

The way he said it in such a sultry, deep, sexy voice made my toes curl. I knew what he wanted to do and I was not about to refuse it. I stood up and he watched me carefully, his eyes looking over my entire body. I took the book from his lap and placed it back on the table. I then held his hands in mine, my heart beating wildly. Lupin stood up and I laced our fingers together, stepping closer to him and resting my head on his chest. I kissed his neck. "How do you know I don't want to do that?" I breathed.

His breath hitched. I could smell his smell. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was incredible. He wore the same cologne everyday – or was it aftershave? Did he wear anything at all? Either way, it was _his_ smell. You know how everyone has that certain smell to them? Well, his was the best. I breathed in deeply, trying to memorize his scent and the pattern of his slow breathing and the rhythm of his heartbeat.

When I didn't want to just stand there any longer, I dragged him slowly to his bedroom. It smelled of him too. I don't remember what his bedroom even looked like, honestly. It was like it was just me and him and the bed. It was as if all the walls around us were gone; it was all black around us.

My mind was screaming 'no' as our lips met. It was reminding me of all the reasons why it couldn't happen. It was reminding me of the dangers and consequences of going any further – especially after what Snape had said – but my heart wanted him so badly and my heart was much more powerful than my brain at the moment.

Lupin laid me down on the bed, his hand gently touching my waist, his touch making me realize that what was going to happen was real and was not a dream. "You look beautiful," he whispered before his lips captured mine hungrily and his fingers unzipped my dress. He slid it off my body, tossing it quickly to the side. I felt nervous and embarrassed and awkward. I felt like running away and hiding, but I was trapped underneath Lupin and I did not want to leave him. I lifted his shirt over his head and it soon joined my own on the carpeted floor.

I had seen him shirtless before, but it seemed different this time. Although he wasn't super muscular, he was toned and my hands trembled as I touched his stomach and chest.

I was afraid to make the next move because I could already feel his excitement pressing into the inside of my thigh. The tingling in my stomach grew stronger. My face was burning red and I ran my fingers through his hair before lifting his shirt and throwing it aside. I breathed in deeply and kissed him again and he waited patiently for me to take off his own pants.

Soon after that, we were both naked, already a little sweaty, and both nervous as hell. The only piece of clothing on either of us was the bracelet on my wrist. I touched his shoulders and we stared at each other. He silently asked permission with his eyes and I licked my lips.

"Just go easy on me," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Lupin seemed hesitant and then nodded, placing a passionate kiss on my lips as he entered. I wanted to cry out, gasp with pain, but he never broke the kiss and he tried to calm me down by combing my hair with his fingers.

We both finished together and we were panting, sweating, and his back was slightly bleeding from where I had dug my nails into his skin. The scratches I had left on his back could easily be mistaken as the scratches he left on his body himself. He held himself above me before collapsing at my side and kissing my damp temple twice.

My heart was still beating erratically. "Were you as nervous as I was?" I asked quietly, staring up at the dark ceiling. My thighs hurt as I shifted to a more comfortable position.

Lupin nodded, breathing heavily. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to hurt you. And," he whispered, pressing his lips to my neck. "I was worried you'd regret this."

I swallowed loudly and wrapped my arms around his neck. The fronts of our sticky bodies were pressed together. He kissed my forehead as I placed soft kisses on his collarbones.

"Don't leave me," he breathed in my ear. I felt chills run down my spine.

"I won't," I replied.

"And you'll still be here in the morning?"

I nodded. "Yes." I kissed his jaw softly.

It was quiet and I licked my lips.

"Remus?"

He hummed a response.

"I love you."


	21. Regrets

**First of all, I feel I should thank all the readers of my story. All the people who follow it and add this story to their favorites, I really appreciate it. And to all the people who review, thank you SO much! It really, really makes me enjoy writing more chapters.**

**Also, I know I haven't been updating as quickly as I should. Writing this chapter took me more than a week. Last Monday, I was hit in the head with a softball during a game and I have a concussion, so spending more than twenty minutes at a computer makes my brain hurt real good. I know I should be sleeping and not on the computer at all, but I can't help it. I **_**need**_** the internet… That's not good, is it?**

**One last thing, baseball season has started and that means weekly trips to my godfathers house (he's a chef) to watch Phillies games! I think his food (mainly the wings he makes) is my favorite part of baseball season. My family are huge Red Sox fans and I can't stand them – they think the Sox and the Phillies are going to be in the World Series this year, but the Sox are last in their division! Currently tied with the Rays, yeah? The damn **_**Orioles **_**are first! Oh well, enough of my rambling… Enjoy the chapter!**

**REGRETS.**

I woke up before Lupin. Still being held in his arms tightly, I watched him sleep. I noticed the way his mouth was slightly open and the way his hair stuck up everywhere. I touched his chest, feeling for his heartbeat and watching his chest rise and fall with each deep breath. He was the most handsome man I'd ever met and I was falling hard for him.

Soon, his eyes opened slowly and I smiled, kissing his lips before he said anything. When I pulled away, his grip on my hips loosened and he stared at me for a moment, licking his lips. "Darcy," he said suddenly, his hand moving up to my neck. He gently touched all the small bruises on my neck and shoulders and my collarbones that he had left last night. "Darcy."

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly and he nodded slowly and stood up, getting changed quickly. "Where are you going?" He put a shirt on and looked at me.

"Just have to go check something. The fire. In the sitting room," he said quickly. "I'll be back, okay? I have to – I have to…" But he left before he finished.

I sat up as he closed the door. I sighed and blinked a few times, a bit confused. I stood up and walked over to the small bathroom, bringing my underclothes with me. I looked in the mirror and bit my lip. I couldn't help but to think that Lupin was upset for sleeping with me. I frowned. I had given him everything – he couldn't regret it… he couldn't!

Was it my hair? Sure, it was a little tangled and messy, but that was only because I slept on it. Was it my body? Sure, my breasts weren't as big as Emily's, but I wasn't flat and I was skinny. I touched my stomach and tried to grab my fat, but there wasn't a lot there.

Maybe it was my face. He _had_ said I was beautiful, but that didn't mean he actually meant it. I didn't think I was _ugly_.

Then what was it about me? Was the sex not good? I couldn't help that, could I? It was only my first time. I thought perhaps I could try again – if there was even a next time.

As I ran my fingers through my hair, I saw the bracelet sitting on my wrist. I touched it and immediately began to dress. I clipped on my bra and slid my underwear back on, but I didn't bother putting my dress on. It was uncomfortable, anyway.

Feeling a little self conscious, even though he had seen my whole body the night before, I stepped out into the sitting room, immediately feeling warm. Lupin had lit a fire and was sitting down on the couch, rubbing his chin as if he had a beard. He stared into the dancing flames and when the floor creaked underneath my feet, he jumped and looked up at me.

Not at my body. Into my eyes.

"Wasn't I any good?" I asked meekly, looking down at my feet.

"Is isn't that, Darcy."

"Is it about me?" I said again.

"Don't think that it's about you," he whispered.

"Am I not pretty enough?" I blurted out. "Not skinny enough? Smart enough? What is it?"

He didn't look away from my eyes. "It's not you, Darcy. You're perfect. Why would you – you never used to care what people thought of you. Since when have you cared?"

I licked my lips. "Since I met you."

Lupin stood up and walked over to me, touching my shoulders. "Darcy," he whispered. "After – after last night, I watched you sleep. I looked at you and realized that I had taken advantage of you and I feel horrible for that. I considered wiping your memory, but I don't have to heart to do that and –"

"Do you regret making love to me?" I whimpered. "Do you regret last night?"

"I – I don't regret it at all," he replied. "But I think it's dangerous now. Our relationship. It's unhealthy."

"Then wipe my memory!" I pleaded. "Wipe it for all I care! As long as you don't leave me! What'll it take?"

Lupin furrowed his eyebrows and looked at me seriously.

"Are you going to leave me?" I said.

He didn't say anything for a moment.

"You thought about it!" I yelled. "You were thinking about leaving me? You thought about it! I can tell you were – you still are! How could you – Remus, I just gave you everything last night! I gave you my virginity and now you're going to walk away from me because you're _scared_!"

"That's not it, Darcy, listen –"

"I can't believe you," I backed away from him, back into the bedroom and I began to put my dress back on. I was having trouble zipping it and Lupin walked over to me quickly, taking my hands.

"Darcy, I love you," he whispered, kissing my forehead. "I do not regret last night one bit." He smiled and held my face in his hands.

We made love again.

_That Night…_

It was close to three in the morning. I had snuck back to my dormitory and grabbed extra clothes, returning to Lupin's quarters that night and we made love three times before finally falling asleep, exhausted.

There was furious knocking on the door and Lupin and I sat up immediately, throwing clothes on. He told me to be quiet and stay put as he walked to the door in his sweatpants. I heard Professor McGonagall's voice speak first.

"Quickly, Remus," she said clearly. "There's been an attack on Gryffindor Tower! We need you to come look!"

"An attack?" Lupin asked and my breath hitched. My heart pounded quickly. "An attack on – on – is anyone hurt?"

"Sirius Black! Ronald Weasley woke up screaming about seeing him over his bed with a knife!" McGonagall responded. "And there's other news – bad news, Remus –"

Another voice spoke. A slow, deep voice I knew to be Snape's. "Miss Darcy Potter is missing. We can't find her in her dormitory or the common room. Poppy said she wasn't in the hospital wing. Any idea?"

"How would I have any idea where she is?" Lupin growled. "I was sleeping. But we have to go look for her and Black. Let me grab my shirt and I'll be right there."

He ran into the bedroom and approached me silently, his breath on my lips. "What's going on? What do I do?" I whispered and Lupin swallowed, picking up a shirt.

"I'll head over to your dorm and – and I'll grab the Invisibility Cloak…" he said softly. "And I'll bring it back here. You just go somewhere and let someone find you. I'll be back, okay?"

"It's in my trunk. Second bed. Beside Emily. The trunk is by the foot of the bed," I whispered.

Lupin nodded and then he pecked my lips and ran out, shutting both doors behind him.

I sat down on his bed and sighed, pulling on my pants. When I was fully clothed, I walked out into the sitting room and I sat down on the couch, warming myself in front of the fire. Sprawled on the coffee table were many books. A Tale of Two Cities, To Kill A Mockingbird, A Separate Piece, and The Catcher in the Rye. I smiled. All Muggle books. All Muggle books that I liked, too.

I frowned as I saw a blank piece of parchment that had been carelessly tossed on top of the books. I picked it up and flipped it over. It was the Marauders Map. I went into the bedroom and grabbed my wand and tapped it. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

Tiny dots appeared on the map and I saw _Remus Lupin_ now entering the Gryffindor common room. _Severus Snape_ followed him closely. McGonagall had gone off in a different corridor. I licked my lips and closed the map, erasing the dots from it, and I threw it back on the table where I had found it.

Five minutes later, the door bust open and I jumped, stifling a scream. Lupin ran over to me and thrust the Invisibility Cloak into my hands. "Put it on quickly," he whispered. "Snape is waiting for me."

I nodded and threw the cloak over me. I followed Lupin out into the corridor and I thought about where to hide. Where I would be found. Just in a random corridor? _Damn it_, I thought. _I should have brought the map_!

"You have no possible idea where Darcy could be?" Lupin asked with mock concern. I kept bumping into his arm, trembling. I was terrified that we were going to be found out right there. Lupin kept glancing my way when Snape would look ahead.

"It is not my job to keep track of Miss Potter," Snape hissed.

"Nor is it mine," Lupin replied sharply and he swallowed loudly.

Snape glared at the man to his right and set his jaw, but did not speak.

"Perhaps she's atop the Astronomy Tower?" Lupin suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "She might like the fresh air up there. Out of reach of Sirius Black. Have you checked there?"

Snape grumbled something under his breath. "No, I haven't."

"Excellent! She's probably up there! No need to worry about Darcy, Severus. I'm sure she's alright," Lupin said. "What are we waiting for? Let's head up there _now_."

Breaking into a run, but trying to be as quiet as possible, I ran up the seemingly endless staircases until I finally reached the Astronomy Tower, still a little bit ahead of Lupin and Snape. I took off the cloak and folded it into a small square and I put it in my pocket, half of it still sticking out.

I looked around and sat down on the ground, looking up at the sky, holding my knees to my chest, waiting for the pounding footsteps of the two men looking for me.

When I finally did hear them, Snape came up first and called my name. I stood up immediately and behind Snape, Lupin flashed me a toothy grin. I nodded and then looked at Snape. "What's wrong?" I asked innocently.

"Have you been up here the whole night?" Snape asked me and I nodded.

"I know I shouldn't have been up here during night, but it's so peaceful and –"

"Sirius Black entered the Gryffindor common room last night," Lupin explained, stepping forward. Even though I already knew that Sirius had broken in, I still felt scared. My forehead was damp with sweat and my stomach churned. "Luckily, no one was hurt, but the boys' dormitory curtains are a little ripped."

"Sirius – Black –" I stammered. Snape crossed his arms.

"We thought he had gotten to you," Lupin continued.

"_Some_ were more worried than others," Snape muttered. "Come on, Miss Potter, back to your common room. Go. Now."

When I arrived back in the common room, Harry attacked me with a hug and began to interrogate me. Fred, George, and Hermione already had an idea where I had been and they smiled knowingly at me. Ron was still pale, probably in shock after seeing Sirius Black. I watched him sit himself down before the fire, sitting still, which was unusual for him.

"Darcy, where _were_ you?" Harry screamed. People were watching. "I was – I thought – I was sure Sirius Black had killed you or kidnapped you or taken you away –"

"I was up at the Astronomy Tower," I explained gently, running my fingers through his messy hair. Harry took a step back and looked me over, following me over to the couch where Ron was sitting. "Ron? Ron, are you okay?"

I touched his arm and he didn't yank it back. "I saw him, Darcy," Ron rasped. "He was standing over my bed… With a knife… Scabbers was going crazy. Squeaking and scratching all over the place."

I looked at the red headed boy and nodded. "Don't worry," I reassured him. "Dumbledore has dementors everywhere. They'll find Sirius before he gets away."

Ron looked up at me and nodded, unsure of my answer. "You're positive?" Ron asked, but before I could continue, he kept talking. "He could have bloody killed me! Poor Scabbers too!"

I scrunched my nose when he mentioned the disgusting rat he still kept as his pet. "Yes, Scabbers, well, it's _you_ we're worried about."

"What were you doing up on the Astronomy Tower anyway?" Harry interjected. "You could have been hurt! What if Black had gone up there? You were alone!"

"I wanted to be alone," I shrugged, stroking Ron's ginger hair. "I had a lot of things to think about."

"I've barely seen you since the ball," Harry continued. "You just – ran out."

"Yeah," I replied. "That's why I wanted to be alone. I told you, it was a lot to think about." I kept my calm. I felt keeping calm at that moment was easy. Maybe it was because of Lupin. That had to be it. "I've just been busy and troubled for the past few days."

"Is it because of –" Harry stopped and looked around, and then turned back to me. "Him?"

"Partially."

"Did he do something to you?" George asked, walking over to me and his brother. "Did he hurt you?"

"We'll kick his ass if we have to," Fred nodded, cracking his knuckles. I smiled at the two twins and shook my head.

"It's nothing like that," I told them. I stood up and brushed off my shirt, picking a few short, red hairs off it. "I'll be going to my dormitory now. I won't leave, I promise. I'm just a little tired… I think I need a nap… I haven't been sleeping well…"


	22. The Date

**THE DATE.**

Hermione shoved the tear stained paper into my hands and I sat up in my bed and read it. My mouth hung open and I felt terrible – I hadn't helped Hermione at all. "Hermione, this is terrible," I whispered. "I was sure Buckbeak would win."

"There was no way," she sighed, taking back the letter. "He was doomed from the start. A hippogriff has never won a court case. Of course, if Lucius Malfoy keeps donating generously to the Ministry, they'll do whatever he wants."

I was quiet. Hermione reread the letter over and over again. "I'm sorry I didn't help."

"It's okay," she replied, not looking up. "Like I said, he was doomed from the start. And you had other things to deal with."

"If you mean Professor Lupin," I said quietly. "Then no. I should have helped you. I promised you he and I would help, but I forgot all about it… I'm so sorry."

"Look, Darcy, there's nothing you two could have done that would have changed the Ministry's mind. Lucius Malfoy has them wrapped around his finger. Remember last year? When they took Hagrid to Azkaban?" she ran her fingers through her bushy hair and I thought she was going to cry. "Just promise me everything will be okay."

I hesitated. "Yeah, it'll be alright, Hermione."

"Harry and Ron don't know yet. I'm going to go show them soon," she sniffed. "Where are they anyway?"

"Hogsmeade."

Hermione nodded. "I'll let them know when they come back. Don't want to ruin their fun."

_Later that day…_

"What's wrong?" Lupin asked me.

I was seated against the giant tree that was beside the Black Lake. Lupin looked particularly handsome. His hair fell into his face and the sleeves of his white, button down shirt were rolled up to his elbows as he watched the Giant Squid swim around and he skipped rocks on the surface of the water. I set down the book I was reading and looked at him.

"Are you okay?" he said again.

"I suppose," I shrugged.

"You suppose? That doesn't sound like you're alright," he said, skipping another rock on the water. "What's really wrong?"

I didn't answer. I simply shook my head and continued reading.

"Darcy, I know you well enough to know when something's wrong. You can tell me –"

"Buckbeak is going to be executed!" I blurted out and he looked at me wide eyed. I shut my book and pulled my knees to my chest. "And I promised Hermione I'd help, but I never did! I forgot all about it and she had to do everything by herself and I – oh, I'm such a horrible person."

"Don't think that," he replied. "You're not a horrible person. Have you spoken with her?"

"This morning," I sighed. "She tried to assure me that nothing we could have done would have saved Buckbeak. All because of Lucius Malfoy."

"She's right, you know," Lupin said, walking over to me. He sat down, looking at the lake, his back to me. I wanted to move closer to him, but for all I knew, someone could have been watching us. "The Ministry isn't fond of hippogriffs. They think they're dangerous – which they can be _if provoked_, which is exactly what Draco did, but his father is too powerful with the Ministry."

"It isn't fair," I protested.

"I thought you'd be old enough to realize that life isn't fair," he muttered and I looked at him. He turned to look at me and our eyes met. "We should be getting back inside – it's getting dark. I don't want you to stay out here too long."

"I don't want to go inside just yet," I said quietly and Lupin nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Can we go down to Hagrid's? Normally I wouldn't be allowed, but you're a professor and you'll be… _chaperoning_ me."

Lupin considered it. "Yeah, alright, let's go."

We began our trek to Hagrid's hut and it was silent between us. I looked at the ground when I walked and he looked straight ahead, sometimes glancing up at the sky. The sun was going down. The crescent moon was just barely visible in the sky behind the clouds. "I have something to say," I suddenly said and Lupin looked at me, but I didn't look at him. Hagrid's hut was in view, but we slowed down.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I'm – I'm really glad you're here this year," I whispered. I wasn't really good with compliments. "And in all of this Sirius Black and dementor and Buckbeak mess, you really make things a whole lot better. You always know what to say when I need answers. You're always there when I'm scared and I know I can always talk to you."

I glanced up at him. He was smiling.

"I love you."

"Darcy, you're really special to me," he began. I had just then realized that we had stopped walking completely. "I love you too and I want you to know that I mean it. Sometimes I think that you don't hear that enough. Not just from me, but from your aunt and uncle, from your friends, even from Harry. Does Harry tell you you're special to him?"

I swallowed loudly. "No, but I mean, I can kind of infer from the way he treats me –"

"Oh, I do not doubt that he cares about you!" Lupin grinned. "I'm just saying, sometimes it's nice to hear people say it. It's nice to hear people say they care about you or that you're special or that they love you."

"Do you hear it often?" I asked.

"Me?" he chuckled to himself. "Not nearly enough."

"Me neither."

"Guess that's another thing we have in common," he said. "You deserve to hear it. You do so much for everyone, even if you don't mean to. Look at Harry. You don't think your aunt and uncle raised him to be like that, hm? It's you. You're a friend who someone can confide in, you're an extremely bright student and witch, and you're capable of loving someone who's… _different_."

"Surely you don't –" I stopped and thought about how to respond to what he just said. "Everyone's different. We've got a lot in common. Even if you were a vampire, I'd still love you."

Lupin stepped closer to me and pressed his lips to my cheek. "_That_," he whispered. "Is what I don't hear enough."

"Whenever you need to hear it again," I breathed. "Just let me know."

Lupin smiled and kissed my forehead. "Do you still want to go down to Hagrid's?"

I slowly grinned. "I can always go tomorrow…"

_The Next Day…_

I stumbled out of Lupin's bed, wrapping a blanket around me. He was up already making breakfast in the kitchen unit of his quarters. He heard me approaching and said, "I was going to wake you up for the breakfast feast, but you looked so cute sleeping." I felt my cheeks go hot. "Do you want tea?"

"Tea sounds lovely," I replied, smiling at him as he handed me a mug of steaming tea.

"It's Saturday, you know," he said.

"Yes, it is."

"I want to take you somewhere."

"Like where?"

"I can't tell you. It's a surprise," he grinned and continued flipping pancakes. "But I want to take you somewhere where we can be alone and not have to worry about Snivellus stalking us, you know?"

"Oh?" I sipped my tea. "That sounds nice. Do you – er – have anything planned yet?"

"Well, sort of," he turned around and slid two small pancakes onto a plate. He then set the plate before me with silverware. He sat down at the small, circular table across from me. I felt self conscious and took little bites of my food. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Am I ever busy?" I raised an eyebrow.

He laughed. "Then tonight at six, I want you to dress in er – fancy, Muggle clothes and meet me here, okay?"

"You're taking me on a date?"

He nodded. "Our first date."

"You know, I was taught growing up not to kiss on the first date," I teased. "Even Petunia said so – to me and Dudley. We sure broke that rule, hm?"

Lupin's face turned red.

"I'll be here. I'm looking forward to it." We smiled at each other.

_That night…_

"A date?" Hermione whispered. "Where's he taking you?"

"I'm not sure. He wouldn't say," I said, going through my trunk. I wanted to look sexy, but when I packed for Hogwarts, I didn't think I would need any clothes of the sort. "I think we're going outside Hogwarts. He said to dress like a Muggle. And fancy."

"Do you think that's such a good idea?" she asked and I shrugged, changing out of my jeans and t shirt into a small, strapless, dark green dress with a large brown belt around the waist. "You know, with Sirius Black still out there somewhere?"

"I'll be safe with him," I assured not just Hermione, but myself. "He's a strong wizard. Besides, I don't want to stay at Hogwarts where Snape is watching us like a hawk. And I don't want to be around Emily either."

"Oh yeah," Hermione smiled. "Where does she think you're going?"

"I haven't talked to her since the night of the Ball," I admitted.

"But that was a week ago…" Hermione said. "How come? She saw you run out crying. What if she pieces it together and figures out it was because of Lupin?"

"She's too stupid to figure that out," I said under my breath. "No one knows why I was crying except for you and Harry and Fred and… you know, all of them."

"But Lupin ran after you."

"After a few minutes," I shook my head. "Hermione, everyone isn't as clever as you, alright? Sometimes you forget that."

Hermione smiled.

"I don't know when I'll be back. Tell Harry and Ron I'm gone, will you? Just so they don't freak about me not being here," I tapped my chin, thinking if I've forgotten anything. "Where'd I put my Galleons…?"

I began to look through my bag again as Hermione spoke up, "Why would you need money?" she asked, sitting on my bed. "If it's a date, then shouldn't Lupin be paying?"

"Normally, yes, that's what guys do," I replied, pulling out four Galleons. I put them in my pocket. "But… you know… it's him and I'd feel bad for making him pay, especially if it's expensive. You know he doesn't have a lot of money."

She nodded. "I guess you're right."

"Exactly. I'm always right." I smiled and flattened my dress, adjusted my belt, and then waved to her, putting the Invisibility Cloak over my head.

I snuck down to the third floor and entered Lupin's office, and then knocked on his quarters. He opened the door and I took off the Cloak. We smiled at each other and then he let me in.

I looked him over. He looked impossibly handsome. He wore a simple black dress shirt without patches and a white tie hung loosely over his shoulders. He had on black dress pants and shiny black shoes. His hair was pushed out of his face. "You look – you look – um," I stuttered.

"Could you tie this for me?" he asked with a smile and I nodded, stepping forward and tying his tie. "You look amazing, Darcy."

"Thank you," I muttered with red cheeks.

"I'm glad you brought your cloak," he said, grabbing a coat. "We have to walk down to Hogsmeade so we can Apparate out of here."

We made it down to Hogsmeade and once outside the village, out of view, there was a loud _POP!_ and I felt like I was being sucked through a small tube. I gripped onto Lupin's arm tightly. When we landed on cement, I looked up at him.

"You okay?" he asked with a small smile.

"I'm not used to that," I admitted, fixing my hair. "Usually, I'm the one Apparating and Harry's holding onto me."

"Ah, I apologize," he said, holding out his arm for me. I took his arm and we turned out of an alley and we began walking down the street. "We're in London, by the way. I grew up here and there's one place that my mum used to take me after my transformations to help me get better."

I looked up at him as he looked about the city with wide eyes and a huge smile on his face. "Thank you," I whispered and I kissed his cheek. His smile grew.

"Come on," he said, leading me into a small restaurant. "In here."

The outside of the restaurant looked like a shack. It was rundown with a light up sign that had most of the letters out. But the inside was gorgeous, with elderly, rich looking couples and lace tablecloths with candles in the center of every table.

"It's called the Blue Moon," he explained as we followed the waiter to a booth in the back. He left us to fetch waters. "See why my mother would bring me here? It was a good effort, I'll admit it. She also used to sing me Muggle songs about the moon." He laughed to himself and I grinned. "I was a kid back then and I don't think I appreciated her help as much as I should have."

The waiter returned with our waters and left again so we could decide what to order.

"Are you okay? You aren't talking for once," he smiled. He was obviously happy to be back in London.

"I'm perfectly fine," I replied. "I'm just glad you're happy."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

_Later that night…_

"This is it," he walked me up to a small townhouse and he looked around and pulled out his wand, tapping the doorknob. It unlocked and we entered the house. "This is my home."

I stepped further inside and looked around as he turned the lights on. There wasn't much furniture and the rooms were small. There was an upstairs, but with only one bedroom and a bathroom. I met him back downstairs in the small living room and I grinned.

"Sorry it's not as big as I wish it was," he sighed. "It's not much."

"I think it's perfect," I replied.

"You're joking, right?" he laughed. "It's a dump in here. I barely have any furniture and –"

"Can we light a fire?" I asked him and he looked down at me and smiled, nodding slowly. He pointed his wand towards the fireplace and immediately, flames sprouted from the logs and newspapers. "I think fires are really relaxing, don't you think?"

"Mhm," he replied. He walked up to me, my back still to him. He lifted my hair gently and kissed my neck and my shoulder. "You're wearing the bracelet," he breathed on my skin. I felt chills run quickly up and down my spine as my breath hitched.

"I wear it every time we're together," I whispered back.

He let go of my hair and rested his chin on the top of my head. I leaned back into his body. "I had fun tonight," he said.

I turned around and he raised his eyebrows. I smirked. "Who said the night's over yet?"

Slowly, he leaned in and kissed my lips.


	23. Caught in the Act

**CAUGHT IN THE ACT.**

"I have an idea," I whispered, kissing his chest. We were huddled under a blanket on the floor in front of the fireplace. He hummed in response. "We never go back to Hogwarts. We just stay here the rest of our lives."

"I wish, love," he replied softly, his eyes still shut.

"Come on," I smiled, listening to his heartbeat. "We go back to Hogwarts and get our stuff and then we just – _poof_! We disappear."

"You know I would love that, Darcy."

"Remus?" I asked and he hummed again. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Yes, I do."

"How pretty?"

"I think you're beautiful," he continued. "More beautiful than anyone I've ever seen."

"On a scale of one to ten," I grinned and he smiled slightly, opening his eyes. "How pretty am I?"

"Eleven," he said and he wrapped his arms around me.

When I returned to Hogwarts that morning, Hermione cornered me and I raised my eyebrows. "So?" she pressed and I shook my head, but told her anyhow.

"We went out to a restaurant and he showed me his home –"

"You stayed there _all_ night," she whispered. "I had to cover for you! Ron and Harry were suspicious and asking where you were! You know, even Emily wondered where you were…"

"Emily?"

Hermione nodded. "She wanted to talk to you for some reason," she finished. I stared at her. "Don't ask me why – she said she wouldn't tell a stupid fourteen year old what she had to talk about. How rude."

"Yes, yes, rude," I sighed. "I should go find her."

I did find Emily, sitting on her bed in our dormitory. I sat down on my bed. "Where were you last night?" she asked quietly. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I was just out with a friend. I fell asleep in her dorm," I replied. "You know Trisha? From Hufflepuff?"

Emily snorted. "I'm not stupid. I know, Darcy," she said in a hushed tone. "I know about you and Professor Lupin. I've known since the Ball… when you ran out crying, he followed you. When I danced with him, he wouldn't keep his eyes off you."

"What are you talking about?" I laughed nervously. "There's nothing going on between us and you know it."

"You were angry when I wanted to flirt with him," Emily shook her head and smiled. "You like him and he likes you. That's where you were last night."

"No, stop – that's not what happened –"

"You don't want anyone to know, right?"

"Wh –"

"I _will_ have him," she promised herself. "And I'm going to get him soon. If you aren't here in your dormitory another night, I'll tell McGonagall – maybe Dumbledore. If I hear or figure out that you're with him, I'll just _accidentally_ tell."

"Well, I don't care," I stood up and crossed my arms. "Because I've got nothing to hide. There's nothing going on between us."

I walked out of the dormitory and breathed heavily. I knew that Lupin and I had become too confident in our relationship and we needed to slow down again if we didn't want anyone else to know about us.

So I distanced myself from him. I saw him every other weekend and we didn't make love as much as we used to – in fact, we rarely did it at all. He didn't say anything about it, but sort of went along with it. He didn't complain or talk to me about it which kind of bothered me, but I wouldn't admit it.

I would have to watch Emily flirt with Lupin in front of me during feasts, during Hogsmeade visits, and even during class. Although he tried to be polite and nice to her, she sometimes took it the wrong way and would laugh and squeal about it to me before we went to sleep every night.

Easter break rolled around quickly and we were all invited back to the Weasley's for the holiday's – even Lupin. Everyone was happy to have a break from school and I was glad for the chance to be away from Emily, who had interrogated me before bed at least twice a week.

"Here, it's heavy, let me get that for you." Lupin lifted my suitcase and brought it inside out of the pouring rain. I followed him upstairs and he placed it in the room I was sharing with Hermione.

"Thank you," I said. I looked up at him and he exhaled loudly, running his fingers through his hair.

"I have to talk to you. We need to talk," he said quietly and I swallowed loudly.

"Am I in trouble?" I whispered and he laughed and shook his head. "Is it bad?"

"No, no, I – no, it's not bad, love," Lupin said and he took my hands and sat me down on the edge of my bed. He sat beside me and his thumb caressed my skin gently. "I just feel like you've been really distant towards me lately."

"Have I?" I replied quickly.

"Well, we only see each other every other weekend now, instead of every weekend," he began. "And you don't kiss me like you used to. You don't even kiss me with your mouth open. I'm just thinking… is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered and I stood up, but Lupin grabbed my wrist and stopped me in my tracks.

"This is what I'm talking about. Talk to me, Darcy. Please."

"Emily knows."

"Emily knows what?"

"About us!" I hissed. "She threatened me! She said if I didn't back off and let her get to you, she'd tell a teacher! So I backed off!"

"That explains why she's been flirting with me during class…" Lupin chuckled. "No matter. I don't want Emily, love! I want her best friend – _you_."

"But we could get into trouble. You could get fired and you need this job," I sighed. "And I could get expelled and my aunt and uncle would never let me back into their home after hearing about why I was expelled. And I wouldn't be able to become an Auror because I wouldn't finish school…"

"Darcy, I love you," he said, kissing my forehead. "And no one is going to get in trouble, or expelled, or fired. Don't worry about me. Emily just thinks she knows what's going on, but she doesn't. She's – she's – she's, well…"

"Daft?"

"Yeah. Daft," he grinned. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Does this mean you'll kiss me for real now?" he asked and I smiled and looked away, blushing a little. He leaned in towards me and kissed me. He pulled away, his hand still cupping my cheek. "Does this mean we can make love more often now?"

I nodded and he kissed me again, but I pulled away. "You don't mean here, do you?"

"Everyone's busy," he whispered, pressing his lips to my neck. "Come back to the guest room. I'll lock the door – put a spell on it."

His lips touched right behind my ear and my toes curled and I nearly fell off the bed, taking his hand and sneaking down the hall to the bedroom he'd be staying in for the weekend. He lifted my shirt over my head and threw it to the ground and laid me on the bed, taking my pants off quickly. I unbuttoned his shirt and then struggled with his pants, my eager hands fumbling with the button and zipper. He laughed and helped me with his pants, picking me up and pressing me against the wall, my legs wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Do you – " he kissed me. "Think – that this – is a good – idea?"

"No."

"Then why – are – we – doing this – here?"

"Because – I love – you."

"I love you – too," I whispered and I ran my fingers through his hair.

"And I – missed you," he breathed.

I heard faint footsteps. "Remus – Remus, someone's coming," I said.

"Don't worry, they won't come in here."

For some reason, I trusted him. "Remus, someone's coming!"

"Darcy? Darcy?" Mrs. Weasley was calling for me and I froze up while still kissing Lupin. He was about to unhook my bra… "Remus, have you seen –"

Apparently, we were so caught up in what we were doing that Lupin forgot to lock and cast 'Muffliato' on the door. So when Mrs. Weasley opened the door to see me and my professor in our underwear, myself pressed up against a wall, pinned to his hips, she gasped and her face turned red – redder than her hair.

Lupin immediately let go of me and my legs felt like jelly and I fell to the ground. Mrs. Weasley's mouth opened and closed like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. She looked furious, angry, and mad beyond belief, but I was just scared and terrified. I stood up and quickly ran to the bed and grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around my body.

"Molly…" Lupin said meekly, but she turned and left the room, slamming the door shut. He then turned on his heels and faced me. "That was my fault."

"It was both our faults," I said, looking right at the ground. "We'll have to go down there to talk to her. And you know Mr. Weasley is going to be there too."

"She's going to kill us," Lupin said, leaning against the door. "She'll slit our throats. Just remember you lock your door tonight."

"I can't believe this… everyone's finding out about us," I held my face in my hands.

"I'm sorry, Darcy."

"Don't be sorry," I whispered. "Should we go downstairs now or later?"

"How about never?"

"I'm afraid that isn't an option," I grinned and picked up my clothes, getting dressed again. "What do you think she'll say?"

He shook his head and laughed. "That I'm too old for you. That I'm your professor. What would your parents say? Does Harry know? Does anyone else know? How long has this been going on? What were you thinking?"

"Have you been practicing?" I giggled.

"I've been ready for this day," he admitted and we both laughed. "Can't get much worse, can it?"

"I don't know. Mrs. Weasley wouldn't tell Dumbledore… right?"

"I don't think so," he whispered. "Are we going to go down right now?"

"I think it's for the best. She'll only get angrier over time."

"Sounds like you know her a lot," Lupin said, getting dressed.

I stepped out of the bedroom and Ron was walking past. I raised my eyebrows at him and he grinned. "What is mum so angry about? She's screaming about you down there!"

"She caught – er – me and Lupin together – in our underwear," I whispered and Ron gasped and shut his eyes.

"That's disgusting!" he cried.

"Shh! Go back to your room, would you?" I pushed him down the hall.

"You're not going down there to talk to her, are you?"

"I have to! We have to!" I replied. "C'mon, Re – er, _Professor _Lupin."

Lupin walked out of the room, narrowed his eyes at Ron, who proceeded to his bedroom. Lupin nodded at me, giving me a bit of reassurance, and then we walked slowly down the stairs to the kitchen, where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat. Lupin and I sat down beside each other and I held my breath. No one said anything. Everyone stared at the table.

"Marcy… you said you were dating a Marcy…" Mrs. Weasley said quietly. "Do you remember that?"

Lupin cleared his throat. "Um, I do. I do remember that."

"You were talking about Darcy," she continued.

"I was. I was."

"How could we be so blind?" Mrs. Weasley looked at her husband. "They went for all the walks. They stayed out for so long…"

Lupin and I were silent. I listened to the pattering of the rain on the window. We looked at each other and then back down at the table. It was like we were children – which Lupin was definitely not. "How – what –" Mr. Weasley crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking into my eyes. "You're eighteen, Darcy Potter."

"Yes," I replied quietly. "I know."

"You are _eighteen_." His voice was louder. "What _are_ you thinking?"

"She _wasn't_ thinking!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted. I flinched and looked at Lupin. "This is _stupid_! Ridiculous! Impossible! He's got her under a love potion!" She was pointing at Lupin and now on her feet.

"Molly, please," Mr. Weasley sighed. "Don't… just don't…"

"What do you mean 'just don't'?" she bellowed and I lowered my head and slumped my shoulders. "Do you realize what I just walked in on? They weren't talking! They weren't hugging! She didn't just give him a small kiss! They were half naked – in their underwear – and she was pressed up against a wall! Arthur, if I hadn't gone in there, they would have _slept_ together!"

Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrows and exhaled loudly. My face turned red.

"Darcy, your first time –" Mrs. Weasley was trying to calm down, trying to be a motherly figure. "Your first time should be with someone special. Not in secret, pressed up against a damn wall!"

I cleared my throat. "Actually, Mrs. Weasley… that wouldn't have been my first time…" My voice trailed off. "And my first time _was_ special." I was becoming more confident and more defiant. If I was going to be expelled, then I decided to fight for Lupin. At least we could be together outside of school, right?

"Don't tell me it was…" She gasped, looking at Lupin, and then she covered her mouth with her hands. "Darcy Potter! And Remus! You took advantage of this poor girl? What is _wrong_ with you? She's eighteen years old! You're her father's best friend!"

"He _was_ my father's best friend," I whispered. "Don't blame him, please! I accepted! I wanted it just as much as he did – maybe more!"

"_Why?_ What would possess you to sleep with your _professor_?" Mrs. Weasley yelled and I licked my lips.

"Because I love him."

"You – you – you _love_ him?" Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "Darcy, go upstairs _now_ and I'd like to speak to Remus."

I nodded and stood up, making my way slowly up the stairs. I met Fred and George at the top and they held up a string with an ear hanging from the end. I grinned and stuck the string in my ear. "How much did you hear?" I asked them.

"Everything," Fred replied. "Even the stuff we didn't want to hear. Kinda gross if you ask us."

"This is beyond your maturity level," I whispered and we listened.

Mrs. Weasley spoke first. "She's eighteen!"

"She's old enough to make her own decisions, Molly," Lupin replied calmly. "She's mature enough to recognize what she's doing. And she's aware of the consequences. We've talked about it before."

"But still! She's eighteen and your student!"

"You don't think I'm aware of this? You don't think I think about this?"

"You're risking her education! And the fact she wants to become an Auror!"

"I know!" Lupin shouted. "Look, I'm old and poor and dangerous and I know that she loves me and I love her! This isn't some stupid fling, alright?"

"Dangerous…" I heard Mr. Weasley. "DARCY!" He didn't sound mean or angry.

I ripped the string out of my ear and jumped down the stairs. I looked at everyone. Mrs. Weasley looked furious – her face was still red. Mr. Weasley was biting down hard on his lower lip and Lupin was breathing heavily, trying to force a smile at me.

"Darcy, let me see your shoulder," he said calmly and I swallowed. "Let me see your shoulder, love."

Slowly, I revealed my scarred shoulder and Mrs. Weasley eyes widened. "_You_," she snapped at Lupin. "You did this to her?"

"He didn't mean to!" I yelled. "I followed him one night during his transformation and he didn't know what he was doing! I forgave him!"

"You hurt her!" Mrs. Weasley said and Lupin stood up.

"Well, you've made it obvious that you don't want me here anymore," he said and he sighed. Mr. Weasley tried to speak, but he didn't say anything. "C'mon, Darcy. Do you want to come with me?"

"Well, I –" I hesitated as he held his hand out to me. "I – I don't know… Where are you going?"

"Darcy!" Mrs. Weasley scoffed.

"I don't know. London."

"London?" Mr. Weasley sighed. "Remus, you can stay. We aren't kicking you out."

"How do we know he won't try to take advantage of Darcy again?" Mrs. Weasley asked her husband.

"Molly, as much as I hate to admit this…" he licked his lips again and I swallowed, glancing at Lupin. "I would rather Darcy be with Remus than some other bloke we don't know about. He's got a history – kind of – with Darcy and the Potter's and at least he's a lot more mature than most eighteen year old boys."

"You're with them on this?" Mrs. Weasley replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Arthur!"

"No, no, Molly, come on," Mr. Weasley said. "You know it's true."

But before Mrs. Weasley could say anything, the front door shut and I turned to see Lupin standing on the front lawn. I looked at the two Weasley's and I followed him outside. The rain was slowing, but I was still getting wet.

"Remus," I said. "Please don't go anywhere. Come back inside."

And without saying anything more, he brushed past me back into the house, closing the door loudly and leaving me outside in the rain.


	24. Accepted

**Hello lovely readers! I want to say thank you **_**again**_** for reviewing my story. I feel so loved. Currently, it is the seventh day I've stayed home sick from school and I really hope I can go back tomorrow because I miss my friends! I've gotten several calls from my three best friends asking if I'm going to die… I laugh every time. I'm not going to die – I just feel like it.**

**Well, enjoy this chapter! The story is almost done! But have no fear! After Darcy's last year ends, she'll go back to the Dursley's during Harry's next school year (because as long as Harry is living at the Dursley's, she'll be safe from Voldemort) and Harry will return for his fourth year. **

**Although the next story I write will not take place during Goblet of Fire, but during the Order of the Phoenix. Denied the chance to be in the Order of the Phoenix because of the 'dangers', she and a few other Aurors and members of the Order return to Hogwarts with her and Harry, just to keep them safe… Lupin will also find a new girl, but he still wants to be friends with Darcy! Friends with… **_**benefits**_** perhaps? **

**ACCEPTED.**

"He's softened you up, you know."

I looked up at Mr. Weasley, who was sitting in the arm chair beside the couch I was sitting on. I was drinking some hot butterbeer while he was reading the Daily Prophet. He didn't look up from the paper, but he turned the page. "How do you mean?"

"You're not as tough when he's around," he continued. "You're more pleasant when he's around. That's why I like the idea of you looking after her."

"He's not my father."

"I know he's not your father," Mr. Weasley said. "Even with the situation you're in with him, it doesn't mean he doesn't look after you. He always makes sure that you're alright. He makes sure that nothing will happen to you. And I think that's important during these times – especially with Sirius Black on the loose."

I was quiet.

"You aren't talking back to me," he finished, putting the paper down on the coffee table and looking at me. "You've learned respect, Darcy, and you know it."

"I'm just frustrated is all."

"I think," he sighed, standing up. "That given your situation, the relationship is a bit inappropriate. If things were different, I wouldn't have much to say against it."

"What are you saying?"

"You have to keep in mind that he's your professor and you're his student," Mr. Weasley replied. "Other than that… I think he's good for you."

We left for Hogwarts a few days after that and Lupin had been particularly distant from me. It broke my heart, but I refused to say anything. I wanted to give him space and seeing as his transformation was approaching quickly, I let him rest all he wanted. But after his transformation, two days after, I went into his quarters and cornered him.

"What the fuck?" I said as I saw him lying in bed. He was sweating and he opened his eyes and licked his lips as I walked closer to him. He pulled the sheet up to cover his bare chest.

"What are you doing?" he asked calmly.

"I'm – I'm here to talk to you," I crossed my arms. "You've been avoiding me."

He looked away and exhaled loudly.

"Talk to me!" I yelled.

"Quit screaming, Darcy," Lupin told me. "I haven't been avoiding you – I've actually been wanting to talk to you." He sat up. "Sit down. Here" He patted the bed and moved over a little so there was room for me.

"Am I sitting down because I might not take it well?" I asked quietly and he shrugged, so I sat down.

"I've been thinking," he sighed. "And maybe Mrs. and Mr. Weasley were right about us… I mean, I'm supposed to be just your teacher and I –"

"Remus…" I breathed. "Remus… are you – are you – are you breaking up with me?"

"Darcy, I want you to know that I've never lied to you, though. I care about you very much. I love you. You're special to me and I –"

"You're breaking up with me?"

"I just don't want to make your last year more difficult for you! You don't really understand –"

"I thought – I thought we agreed that the consequences weren't enough," I said and I felt tears start to well up in my eyes. I wanted to cry, but I knew I couldn't. Lupin could not see my cry. I wasn't that vulnerable. "I thought we would just ignore them – please, I love you…"

Lupin looked at me with big, sad eyes and he finally looked away and rolled over in bed. "Maybe you should just go," he whispered and I stood up and breathed in heavily. I walked out of his room and shut the door and before leaving his quarters, I snuck into his kitchen unit and opened a cabinet, finding what I needed. Firewhisky. I took both bottles and hid them under my cloak as I walked to the Gryffindor common room.

Without speaking to Harry, who was sitting by the fire, I ran up to my dormitory and pulled out a bottle, unscrewing the top and drinking it quickly. As the drink burned my throat, I felt tears pouring down my cheeks and I let out a loud sob, but quickly shut up so no one would hear anything and come running.

I finished the first bottle, more than a bit tipsy. My eyes were bloodshot from crying silently and I laid in my bed, unscrewing the next bottle. I didn't care what happened to me, honestly. I wished the world would stop and I wouldn't have to go on without Lupin. How could he break up with me when he said he still loved me? He still cared – he said so! I took another sip. My throat was numb and the firewhisky didn't burn as much as it did before.

Eventually, through the second bottle, my crying grew louder and louder and my head began to pound and throb and the room was getting darker and spinning. I gripped the bottle tighter and heard someone knocking on the door. I kept crying, but I tried to remain quiet so they wouldn't come in. I drank some more of the bottle and the door burst open as I closed my eyes. Everything was quieting…

The door opened and I heard heavy footsteps approach my bed. "Darcy! Darcy! What are you doing?" Harry was touching my face, slapping it gently. "Hermione! Ron! Help! Did you get him?"

"He's here, he's here!" Hermione's voice got louder and even heavier footsteps entered the room. I opened my eyes and saw Lupin. He sighed and grabbed the bottle from my hands. I fought him; I pulled the bottle to my chest. He ripped it from my hands and threw it to the ground. It shattered and the rest of the firewhisky leaked onto the hardwood floor.

"What the hell!" I screamed and he grabbed my arms, trying to hold me down. "Why did you do that, you bastard!"

No one seemed to know what to do, watching me crying so hard. Not even Harry had seen me in a state like that. "Darcy, come on," Lupin grunted as I kneed him in the stomach. "You need to get down to the hospital wing."

"Why would I go with _you_?" I screamed. "Why are you here?"

Lupin finally got me to my feet and put his arms under my underarms, supporting me as my body slumped against his. "I'm here to take you to the hospital wing. Now stand up."

"You broke up with me," I breathed and Hermione gasped.

"You broke up with her?" Hermione smacked his arm and he exhaled loudly. "Why would you do that?"

"That's none of your business!" Lupin replied. "Now, would you help me?"

"Why would you break up with my sister?" Harry yelled.

"Harry!" Lupin cried and everyone fell silent except for me. I had buried my face in his chest and I was sobbing. Lupin was rubbing my back gently and he lifted me bridal style as I closed my eyes. "No, no, Darcy, stay awake. C'mon, don't go to sleep!"

I didn't answer him.

"Your sister doesn't drink much, does she?" Lupin asked Harry, but Harry merely shrugged. Hermione and Ron looked at each other and were quiet. "Darcy, stay awake! Come on! I'll take her from here."

Lupin got me down to the hospital wing and laid me down on a bed. He explained to Madam Pomfrey that I had downed two firewhisky bottles and she gasped, her small eyes widening. She produced two glasses of water and slapped my cheek to keep me awake. In her hand, she held out two large pills, instructing me to take one at a time.

I refused at first and I kicked my legs and she had to force the pill down my throat. When I had swallowed it, she put a bucket in my lap and I began to throw up. My throat was raw when I took the second pill and threw up even more.

Lupin sat on the bed across from mine and his hands covered his face. He glanced at me every time he could hear me vomit. Madam Pomfrey was rubbing my back, whispering stupid things like, 'it's alright' in my ear, but I ignored her. Everything wasn't alright.

When Madam Pomfrey had taken away my pot, she returned to her office, assuring me that I'd be alright after a night's rest. She also scolded me for drinking, but because I was in such 'deep shit' with Lupin, she said he could handle it.

Lupin waited until she was out of sight before coming over to the side of my bed. He pulled up a chair. "Don't look at me," I said, pulling the blankets up to my chin.

"Why?" he asked softly.

"Because I'm crying," I whispered. "I don't want you to see me cry."

"What's wrong with crying?" he replied. "It proves you've got a heart. It proves you've got feelings. There's nothing wrong with a good cry once in a while."

"Have you ever cried?"

"Yes." He took in a deep breath and looked around as I stared right at him. "I haven't cried in a while, though."

"I've never cried in front of anyone – besides mum and dad, but that doesn't count," I sighed.

"You never really cried when you were a baby, you know," Lupin said quietly and we both realized how weird that was.

"You knew me when I was a baby?"

"Yes."

"You've met me before we met at the Burrow?"

"Yes, I suppose we have. But it wasn't like we met formally before."

I watched him carefully. "Go away."

"I'm not leaving until I know you're better again," he said firmly. "You did a stupid thing taking those bottles from my quarters. You did an even stupider thing drinking them both. You could have gotten alcohol poisoning or something – you would have gotten sick."

"I don't care. You left me," I protested. "You left me so just go away. I don't want to talk to you."

"Just because I broke up with you doesn't mean I don't care about you. It doesn't mean I hate you," Lupin argued and I looked away, rolling over in my bed so my back was towards him. "I still want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"You're being immature, Darcy. Roll over."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Go away. It's inappropriate for a professor to be visiting his student in the hospital wing."

"This is childish. How old are you, Darcy?"

"I'm eighteen and I've just had my heart broken for the first time in my life!" I answered and I rolled over and sat up. "Do you know what this feels like? No one's ever told me things like what you told me. No one's ever been as gentle with me. No one's ever accepted who I really am except for you."

"I do know what it feels like," he replied coldly. "In case you've forgotten, I've been _blessed_ with my lycanthropy since I was little. You think everyone accepted me being a werewolf? People were terrified of me, Darcy, and they still are."

"Please leave me alone."

"You scared me back there. Had I known that you'd do that…"

"You'd what? You'd have me back? Only because you wouldn't want me to drink?" I hissed. "That's a bad reason. I wouldn't want to be with you knowing the only reason you want to be with me would be so I don't hurt myself."

Lupin swallowed. "I _do_ care about you," he sighed. "But you're young. You'll have many more relationships during your life. Relationships that are healthy and are much better than the one we had –"

"What could be better than the one we had?" I asked. "We loved each other. What more could you ask for?"

He looked down at the ground and ran his fingers through his hair.

"See? I may be young and immature sometimes, but I know what matters in life. It isn't about getting good grades and getting a job at the Ministry. It's about finding someone who loves you for you and finding someone who will accept you no matter what."

Lupin hesitantly reached out and stroked my hair gently. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah, well," I sighed and closed my eyes. "Thank you."

May passed quickly and even though I was still bitter about the break up, I tried to forgive Lupin. I couldn't. I only saw him in classes and even then, he treated me as if he barely knew me. At the end of May, I began to study for my final exams, ready to get the highest grade. If I couldn't have the first thing I wanted in life, which was Lupin, I would have to settle with getting good grades and getting the Ministry job.

"No, it's leech juice," I corrected Harry. He was studying potions and was looking specifically at Shrinking Solutions. "Just a little bit. You don't want it to be done incorrectly, or it'd be poisonous."

Harry sighed, crossing out 'caterpillar juice' and instead putting 'leech juice'. "I bet Snape loves you, yeah?" Harry grumbled. "How are you so good at this?"

I shrugged. "Potions isn't that hard, Harry. And just so you know, Snape does not love me."

He stopped writing and looked up at me. "How are you?"

"What? How am I? What are you talking about?" I laughed, but Harry didn't.

"I meant with the whole Lupin thing… I haven't even seen you two look at each other since… since that day," Harry stammered and then continued to write quickly about letting the potion simmer before drinking it. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." I looked at Harry, but he looked as if he didn't believe me. "Look, Harry, everyone goes through tough times and it sucks. It really does. But I can't act like I'm the only one it's happened to. When he broke up with me, I thought that the world would stop, but it didn't. No one knew about us, so no one noticed. No one knew why I was so upset. Other people have been dumped all year. It's not just me. I can't be too dramatic about it." I ruffled his hair.

"You're still upset, though."

"I'm a little sad, yes," I admitted. "But it's in the past. I suppose I'm lucky to have been in a relationship like I was. But I know I'll find another guy and I'll be in another relationship."

Harry didn't say anything.

"You're too young for relationships," I continued with a small smile. I flipped through my Transfiguration book. "That's why you don't understand."


	25. Sirius Black

**SIRIUS BLACK.**

"SCABBERS!" Ron ran down the stairs and glared at me and Harry. "I can't find Scabbers."

"He's a rat," I shrugged. "He probably is underneath someone's bed or something. He's old, that rat. You need a new pet. I suggest an owl."

"No, he's not under someone's bed!" Ron yelled.

"Okay then!" I replied.

"I reckon Crookshanks ate him. You know how Hermione's cat hates Scabbers. He hasn't done anything!" Ron grumbled something under his breath and sat down on the couch. "Hermione needs to get rid of that stupid cat."

"Shut up, Ron," I said and Hermione exited the dormitory and walked down the hard steps, stroking her cat. Crookshanks jumped from her arms and settled on the carpet in front of the fire. "Come on. It's time to go to Hagrid's. We haven't seen him in a while."

Ron, Hermione, Harry and I ran down the pathway to Hagrid's and when we knocked on the door, his eyes went wide. He ushered us in and we all sat down. "Look at him," Hagrid sighed. We all looked through the window at Buckbeak. "Loves the smell of the trees when the wind blows through them."

"Then let's just set him free," I said.

"Dumbledore would know we're up to something," Hagrid replied.

"Then we'll stay with you," I continued.

"No you won't!" Hagrid shook his head. "I don't want you four seeing something like this! Dumbledore said he'd stay with me. So you best just finish your tea and be on your way… but before you do, Ron, I found something…" He reached into a jar and pulled out a squirming rat, handing it to Ron.

"Scabbers!" Ron grinned.

"I suppose you owe _someone_ an apology." Hermione crossed her arms.

"Right," Ron rolled his eyes. "Next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know."

"I meant me!" Hermione argued.

I glanced out the window and saw Fudge, the executioner, and Dumbledore walking slowly down the path towards Hagrid's. I gripped my teacup tighter and looked back at everyone. Hagrid's eyes flicked at me for a moment and I looked at the ground. There was a knock on the door and Hagrid stood up. "I'll be with you in a minute!" he yelled and we all stood up. "Go, quickly!"

I put my teacup down beside a vase and it suddenly exploded and broke. I jumped and covered my mouth. "What the hell was that?" I whispered. I then felt something on the back of my neck and I flinched. "Ouch! Let's go guys."

I went out the back door first, followed by the three. I watched as the executioner entered Hagrid's house first and we all hid behind a stack of giant pumpkins. Buckbeak saw us and let out a small roar.

"We have to get out of here," I said. "Before they see us."

We me in the lead, we sprinted up the steps so we were far enough away that we wouldn't be seen. After a few seconds, the three plus Hagrid filed out of the house. I couldn't even see Buckbeak, but I didn't want to. The executioner raised his axe slowly and then it came down strongly. There was a thud and then silence.

Hermione and Ron held each other, Harry holding onto Hermione's arm. I felt my stomach go weak and I cringed, running my fingers through my hair. "Ow! Scabbers!" I looked at Ron. "He bit me!" Scabbers jumped out of Ron's hands and began to run away. Ron followed him.

"Wait! Ron!" Harry cried. We all began to follow him. Ron got closer and closer to the rat and he dove headfirst, catching Scabbers with his hands. Hermione, Harry and I stood back and we looked up at the tree Ron was under.

"Ron – Ron?" I screamed. "Do you realize what tree this is?"

Ron looked at us and his face turned white. "No, no! Darcy – Hermione – Harry, run! It's the grim!"

I spun on my heels to see the giant black dog that had saved me from Lupin that one night. I froze and the dog jumped and pounced on me, knocking me to the ground and then it ran towards Ron, sinking its teeth in Ron's leg and dragging him towards the entrance of the tree. The same hole that Lupin and I had gone through on the full moon…

"We need to save him," I said, pulling my wand out of my pocket. "I know where that hole goes." I began to run forward, but the branch of the Whomping Willow came down and knocked me back, sweeping Harry and Hermione off the ground in the process. "_Immobulus_!"

"Good thinking," Hermione said to me and I nodded. We ran and jumped down the hole, Harry and Hermione following me. I stood up and brushed myself off. "Where does this lead to?"

"The Shrieking Shack," I answered quietly. I was going to explain why, but I decided against it. "Let's be quick. Who knows what Ron's gotten himself into…"

We ran up the flight of narrow, stone steps and then up wooden ones. I hoisted myself up a hole and then stood up, helping Harry and Hermione up too. I followed the dog tracks and mud until we found Ron lying on the hard ground. "Ron! Ron!" Harry shouted. "Ron, where's the dog?"

"It's not a dog!" Ron cried, pointing behind us. "It's a trap – he's an Animangus!"

The three of us turned around and watched the door slam shut. In the corner of the room stood Sirius Black. I jumped and felt my heart race. I stepped in front of Ron, protecting him, as Harry and Hermione huddled together in the adjacent corner.

Holding Ron's wand, Sirius pointed it at me and stepped closer. My heart beat faster and faster. "_Expelliarmus_!" he shouted and my wand flew out of my hand and he caught it. He did the same for Harry and Hermione. He stepped closer again, holding all four wands. I closed my eyes tight. "I knew you'd come help your friend. Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher… I'm grateful… It will make everything much easier…"

"If you want to kill them, you have to kill us too!" Hermione shouted. I stood still in front of Ron, while Harry and Hermione stood frozen in the corner.

"No, no," Sirius grinned. "There will only be one murder tonight."

"What's that?" Harry spat. "You didn't care about killing all those Muggles to get to Pettigrew… What's the matter? Gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry, shut up!" I hissed.

"HE KILLED MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared and he leaped towards Sirius and grabbed him around the neck. He backed Sirius into the wall, but Sirius retaliated and pushed Harry on the ground. They rolled over and Sirius kept Harry pinned to the ground, one hand around his thin neck.

"No," Sirius muttered. "I've waited too long."

Hermione then stepped forward, her foot swinging out of nowhere. Sirius let go of Harry and fell backwards. I gasped. Harry and Hermione were now on top of the criminal, but I intervened and pulled everyone off each other.

Harry grabbed his wand off the ground and kneeling on Sirius' body, he pointed it at his chest. I held Hermione back, breathing heavily. Sirius cackled. "Are you going to kill me, Harry?"

Sirius' nose was bleeding and he already was forming a black eye on his left eye. "You killed our parents," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"I don't deny it," Sirius said quietly. "But if you knew the whole story…"

"The whole story?" Harry screamed. "You sold our parents to Voldemort! That's all I need to know!"

"You've got to listen to me," Sirius continued with an urgent voice. He glanced at me and then back at Harry. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand."

"I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to save us from Voldemort… and you did that… you did it…"

I watched as Harry kept his wand pointed at Sirius' heart, but his hand was shaking. Harry was debating whether to kill him or not. Deep down, I knew Harry couldn't do it. The three of us kept back, hoping that no one was going to die at all. My heart rate quickened and I shut my eyes, not wanting to see Sirius injured by Harry.

Just then, the door burst open and I saw Lupin rush into the room, wand raised and ready. His eyes flicked from Harry to Sirius, to Hermione, to Ron, and then to me. "_Expelliarmus_!" Lupin shouted and Harry's wand flew out of his hand.

"Professor Lupin!" I screeched.

He didn't look at me; he looked down at Sirius the whole time. "Where is he, Sirius?" Lupin asked Sirius in a tense tone.

I looked quickly at Lupin, who didn't look up at me. He stared down at Sirius, who pointed in my direction. I spun around and looked at Ron, who was pale and dumbstruck.

"But then…" Lupin muttered. "Why hasn't he shown himself until now? Unless –" Lupin's eyes suddenly widened when he looked back at the convict on the ground. "Unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"

Sirius nodded. "Professor," I interrupted loudly. "What's going on -?" But I never got to finish because Lupin lowered his wand and grabbed Sirius' hand, pulling him up and embracing him like a brother. I licked my lips.

I felt like my heart had sank down to my stomach and then out my ass.

"I don't believe this!" I screamed. Lupin let go of Sirius and turned to me. I was pointing at Lupin, my breathing inconsistent. "You – you –"

"Darcy –"

"You and him!"

"Darcy, calm down –"

"I didn't tell anyone!" I shrieked. "I've been covering up for you –"

"Darcy, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain!"

I was shaking with fear. "I trusted you!" I yelled. "And all this time, you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius' friend – but I am now. Let me explain…"

"NO!" I screamed. "Harry, don't trust him! He's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants us dead too – _he's a werewolf_!"

There was an awkward, dead silence and Lupin took a step towards me. He looked very calm, but pale. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius into the castle and I certainly don't want you two dead – why in the world would I want _you_ dead…" He shivered. "But I don't deny that I'm a werewolf."

Ron tried to get up, but his broken leg made him flinch and he fell back down. Lupin stepped even closer to me and I clenched my fists. "_Get away from me, werewolf!_" Ron shouted.

Lupin stopped dead in his tracks and sighed. "I knew you couldn't keep that secret forever."

"You knew?" Harry asked.

"Yes I knew!" I replied.

"Oh yes," Lupin looked at Harry. "She followed me in here one night and watched me transform… I really did a number on her – not on purpose, of course."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Harry exclaimed.

"Because they already know," Lupin explained. "Well, at least the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped. "Is he mental?"

"Some people thought so," Lupin replied with raised eyebrows. "He had to work very hard to convince the staff that I was trustworthy –"

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry bellowed. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM THE WHOLE TIME!" He was pointing to Sirius, who had crawled across the room to a broken bed. He laid down on it and sighed.

"I have _not_ been helping Sirius," Lupin sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "If you give me a chance, I'll explain. Look –"

He picked up the four wands off the ground and handed them out to each of us. I took mine and looked away. Lupin was only about three feet away from me.

"There," he said, sticking his own wand into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry began, pointing his wand at Lupin. I wanted to scream at Harry and tell him to put his wand away, but I said nothing. "How did you know he was here?"

"The map!" Lupin answered. "The Marauders' Map! I was in my office examining it –"

"You know how to work it?" I asked.

"Of course I know how to work it!" Lupin threw his hands up in the air. "I helped write it! I'm Moony – that was my friends' nickname for me at school!"

"You _wrote_ -?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening because I had an idea that you, Ron, Hermione, and Harry might try to sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?" He looked right at me and I nodded. He paced back and forth. "I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid and set off back towards the castle. But you were accompanied by someone else."

"What?" I raised my eyebrows. "No we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," Lupin replied, still pacing. He ignored my remark. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" I yelled and Harry held up his wand again. I stuck my hand out and lowered Harry's arm.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, labeled _Sirius Black… _I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow –"

"One of us!" Ron told him.

"No, Ron," Lupin turned to face him. "Two of you. Do you think I could have a look at that rat?"

"What?" Ron asked. "What's Scabbers got to do with this?"

"Everything. Could I see him, please?"

Lupin stepped past me, closer to Ron, and Ron reached in his pocket and pulled out Scabbers. "What?" Ron asked again, holding Scabbers close to his chest. "What does he have to do with it?"

"That's not a rat," Sirius croaked finally.

"What do you mean? Of course he's a rat!"

"No, he's not," Lupin said quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animangus," said Sirius. "By the name of Peter Pettigrew."


	26. Snape

**I've actually already written the ending to this story, so it'll make it a whole lot easier. I just copy and pasted most of the story and I'm making changes when I feel they're necessary. Enjoy!**

**SNAPE.**

"You're both mental," Ron finally said.

"Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed to Sirius, whose face looked as sunken as ever.

"I meant to," Sirius growled. "But little Peter got the best of me… not this time, though."

Sirius lunged towards Scabbers; Ron screamed in pain as he landed on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" screamed Lupin, pulling Sirius off Ron. "WAIT! You can't just do it like that – they need to understand – we've got to explain!"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Sirius. He tried to throw Lupin off, but kept one hand in the air, trying to reach for Scabbers. Scabbers sounded like a pig and was scratching his face and neck, trying to get away.

"They've – got – a – right – to – know – everything!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Sirius. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Darcy and Harry – they deserve to know the truth, Sirius!"

Sirius stopped struggling, but stared at Scabbers. "All right then," Sirius said. "Tell them whatever you'd like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

"Both of you are mad!" I finally yelled and Lupin looked at me, frowning. "Come on, Ron, we've got to get you to the hospital wing."

I reached down for Ron's hand, but Lupin raised his wand again and pointed it at me, then Scabbers. "You're going to hear me out, Darcy," he said quietly. "Just keep tight for a minute while you listen."

Shaking with fear, I stood there and stared at Lupin. My chest was heaving quickly.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them… But they didn't see what they thought they saw! Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter. I believed it myself – until you, Darcy, mentioned seeing him on the map! Because the Marauders Map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him."

I looked down at Ron and Ron looked up at me. I knew that Ron thought they were both mental, and I was beginning to believe it, as well. Lupin's story made no sense at all – how could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Sirius after all – but why was Lupin playing along with it?

Hermione finally spoke up. "But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"

"And why can't it be true?" Lupin asked quietly.

"Because… because people would _know_ if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animangus. We did Animangi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework – the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animangi this century and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list – "

Lupin began to laugh. I was beginning to think that he had used me, just for information about me and Harry's life. Where we lived, who we lived with, what had happened with our past encounters with Voldemort… "Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animangi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," Sirius snarled, still watching Scabbers every move. "I've waited twelve years; I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin. "I only know how it began…"

Lupin stopped when he heard the floorboards creak and the door opened just a crack. "No one there…" Sirius hissed.

"This place is haunted!" Ron yelled.

"It's not," Lupin snapped, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted. The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." I flinched just thinking about him hurting himself.

He pushed his brown hair out of his eyes and sighed, thinking where to begin. "That's where all of this starts – with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Lupin sighed and looked directly at me. "The Whomping Willow was planted because of me. This house, the tunnel that leads to it – they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous.

"My transformations in those days were – were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf – " he looked right at me and I looked away, my face turning bright red. "I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it.

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever – " he glanced up at me again. "I was happy. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends, Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, James Potter.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill and I had to go home to see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they found out the truth.

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but some of the best times of my life. They became Animangi."

"How did that help you?" Hermione asked.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James' invisibility cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus!" Sirius yelled.

"I'm getting there, Sirius. I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmead than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot, Peter is Wormtail, and James was Prongs.

"That was really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip and bitten somebody?" Hermione protested.

"A thought that still haunts me…" Lupin said heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless – carried away with our own cleverness.

"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animangus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animangus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along…"

"SNAPE?" Sirius hissed and snorted. He rolled his eyes. "What's Snape got to do with this?"

"He's here, Sirius," Lupin answered. "He's teaching here as well." He looked back up at me. "Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me – "

Sirius snorted again. "Served him right. Sneaking around, trying to figure out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month," Lupin told us. "We were in the same year, you know, and we – er – didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway, Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it was be – er – amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it – if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf – but your father, who' d heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you…" said Harry slowly. "Because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," said a deep, low voice coming from behind the door. The door opened faster and Snape pointed his wand directly at Lupin.

Hermione screamed and Sirius leapt to his feet. Snape seemed out of breath, but his face was full of suppressed triumph.

"You're wondering perhaps, how I knew you were here?" Snape said. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight. At first I thought you were coming this way to rescue your… _girlfriend_… but now I see you're only helping Black kill her!"

"Severus…" Lupin began, but Snape cut him off.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout – "

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything – I can explain – Sirius is not here to kill the Potters."

"Two more for Azkaban tonight!" Snape grinned, his eyes gleaming. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a _tame_ werewolf – "

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back in Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and bound Lupin, twisting them around his mouth, wrists, and ankles. They were cutting into his skin and he fell on the ground, useless. "Stop!" I cried and I dropped my wand, kneeling down beside him. I tried to untie him with shaky hands, but Snape pointed his wand at me. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"Get away from him, Darcy," Snape snapped and Sirius started towards him, trying to wrap his hands around Snape's neck. He pointed his wand right between Sirius' eyes. "Give me a reason. Give me a reason to do it and I swear I will…"

Sirius stopped dead. I was sitting on the floor, my eyes flickering over to Lupin, who was struggling and getting more cut up each time he moved. I spoke in a breathless voice. "Professor Snape – it – it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say w – would it?"

Snape eyed me suspiciously. "I do not know what he told you in private, but you know, Miss Potter, not to believe everything he says?" Snape shook his head. "You are already facing suspension from the school. You, your brother, Hermione, and Ron are out-of-bounds in the company of a convicted murder and a werewolf. For once in your life, _hold your tongue_."

"But if – if there was a mistake…"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted. Sirius frowned and furrowed his brow, staring angrily at Snape. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"DON'T TALK TO DARCY LIKE THAT!" Sirius yelled in Snape's face. It was a moment before everyone calmed down a little.

I fell silent and looked at Lupin, who was looking back up at me with pleading eyes. I touched Lupin's hand gently so Snape didn't see. "Vengeance is very sweet. How I hoped I would be the one to catch you."

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Sirius snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle, I'll come quietly."

"Up to the castle?" Snape smirked. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay… 

The color drained from Sirius' face. "You've got to hear me out," he begged. "The rat – look at the rat – "

Snape shook his head slowly. "Come on, all of you," he said and snapped his fingers. The ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him, too."

"NO!" I screamed and I felt tears well up in my eyes and I looked at Lupin. He struggled again, but it was no use. I stood up and ran to the door, blocking everyone from leaving.

"Get out of the way, Potter," Snape snapped. "You're in enough trouble already. If I hadn't been here to save your skin – "

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," I bravely announced. "I've been alone with him loads of times. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?" Snape smirked and he raised his eyebrows.

"Alone, hm? Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. "But I have a pretty good idea why… Now get out of the way, Potter."

"YOU'RE PATHETIC! JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL, YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN!" I cried.

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape screamed and he looked madder than ever. "Like father, like daughter, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black – now get out of the way or I will _make you_. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"

"I won't let you take them!" I screamed and Sirius looked over at me, shaking his head. Snape pointed his wand at me and then back at Sirius.

"Potter, I won't say it again – if you don't move, I'll make you move."

I stepped back and Snape looked at Hermione and Harry to help Ron up, so they did. I sat back down beside Lupin and while Snape wasn't looking, I reached over his stomach to his belt, where I pulled out his wand. Lupin's eyes widened and I shook my head. I made up my mind in a split second, stood back on my feet and pointed Lupin's wand at Snape. "_Expelliarmus_!" I cried. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges and Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down to the floor, blood oozing from under his hair. I had knocked him out.


	27. The Secret Keeper

**THE SECRET KEEPER.**

Everyone was silent and I began to panic. "You shouldn't have done that," Sirius said, looking straight at me. "You should have left him to me."

I avoided Sirius and Lupin's eyes. I wasn't sure if I had done the right thing or not. I looked at Snape's limp body, lying against the wall. I bit my lip. "You attacked a teacher…" Hermione breathed. "You attacked a teacher… Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble…"

I noticed Lupin still struggling and both Sirius and I went for him, but Sirius backed off without question. My fingers fumbled with the ropes, so I took my wand and broke them off his body. He straightened up, rubbing his wrists and ankles, where the ropes had cut him. We stared at each other for a moment and he smiled. "Thank you," he said.

"Oh, Professor, I –"

"I'm still not saying I believe you," Harry said to Lupin and Lupin frowned.

"Harry, you have to believe him," I begged. "You have to. He's telling the truth, really!"

"He doesn't have any proof!" Harry protested.

"Harry…" I breathed.

Lupin stood up and nodded, holding his hand out in front of Ron. "You boy – give me Peter now, please."

Ron held Scabbers tighter. "Come off it," Ron said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean, okay… say Pettigrew could turn into a rat – there are millions of rats – how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," Lupin shrugged. "How did you find out where he was?"

Black reached in his shabby robe pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, flattening it out and handing it to Lupin to show us all. It was the Daily Prophet from the previous summer of Ron's family with Scabbers on his shoulder. "How did you get this?" asked Lupin.

"Fudge," said Sirius. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page… on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… where Harry and Darcy were…"

"My God," Lupin said softly, staring from the picture to Scabbers. "His front paw…"

"What about it?" Ron demanded.

"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself!"

"Just before he transformed," Sirius smirked. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself – and sped down into the sewer with the other rats."

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" Lupin asked. "The biggest bit they ever found of Peter was his finger."

"Look, Scabbers has probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right – "

"Twelve years in fact," Lupin said. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We – we've been taking good care of him!" Ron yelled.

Lupin shrugged. "Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he? I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"

"He's been scared of that mad cat Hermione got!" Ron nodded towards Hermione and her jaw dropped.

But I knew it wasn't right. Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks – ever since he got back from Egypt… since the time Sirius had escaped. "That cat isn't mad!" Sirius told Ron. "He – what's his name again? – Crookshanks. He tried to take Scabbers for me one time, but Scabbers bit himself to fake his own death. Faking his own death had worked once…"

It was all beginning to come together for me. Harry, though, wasn't getting the gist of it. "And why did he fake his own death?" Harry asked. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," Lupin said. "Harry – "

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes I have," Sirius said, looking at Scabbers with an evil look.

"Then Darcy, you should have let him go with Snape!" Harry snapped.

I turned back to face Harry. "You don't understand! I couldn't let the dementors kill – "

"Harry," Lupin sighed. "Don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down – but it was the other was around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your parents – Sirius tracked Peter down!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled and I tried to calm him down, but he slapped my hand away. Lupin and I took a step towards each other. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID YOU KILLED THEM!" He was pointing furiously at Sirius.

"Harry… I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as a Secret Keeper instead of me… I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done… when I'd done…" He voice broke and Sirius looked away.

"Enough of this," said Lupin and there was a steely note in his voice that I had never heard before. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, _give me that rat_. Darcy, my wand, please."

"What are you going to do to him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Lupin tensely. I handed him his wand back and he carefully took it from my trembling hand.

"Force him to show himself. If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron hesitated, and then finally, he held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers squeaked and struggled, but Lupin would not let go.

"Ready, Sirius?"

Sirius had already gotten Snape's wand. He approached Lupin and the rat. "Together?" he whispered.

"I think so," Lupin replied. He held in the rat in one hand, his wand in the other. "On the count of three – " I held my breath. "One… two… THREE."

Blue light flashed from both wands and suddenly, the rat fell to the ground and it seemed to grow in fast motion. He was a short man, about my height, no taller than Harry or Ron and he had patches of graying blonde hair with a circle bald spot in the middle of his head. He was a plump man who looked as if he had lost a lot of weight and his skin was grubby, like Scabbers fur. He almost looked like a rat with his pointed nose and big, watery eyes. He looked around, breathing fast and shallow.

"Hello, Peter," Lupin said pleasantly. "Long time, no see."

"S – Sirius… R – Remus…" Even his voice was squeaky like a rat. His eyes darted to the door. "My friends… My old friends…"

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finger points while you were squeaking around down there on the floor – "

"Remus," Peter gasped. "You don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus!"

"So we've heard," Lupin said coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with, Peter, if you'd be so – "

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked, pointing at black. He used his middle finger because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me, too… You've got to help me, Remus."

"No one is going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," Lupin said.

"Sorted things out?" Pettigrew asked. His eyes dashed around the room from the boarded windows to the door, falling off the hinges. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Lupin, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Sirius cackled. "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" Pettigrew flinched. "What, scared to hear your old master's name? I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius," muttered Pettigrew.

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Sirius. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double crosser double crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways…"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew shrilly. He looked up at Lupin. "You don't believe this – this madness, Remus."

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat."

"Innocent, but scared!" he squealed. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban – the spy, Sirius Black!"

Sirius' face contorted. "How dare you," he growled. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter – I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James."

"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a thing – "

"Lily and James only made you Secret Keeper because I suggested it," Sirius hissed. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you…It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione quietly. "Can – can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione."

"Well – Scabbers – I mean, this – this man – he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now? And he's had plenty of opportunities to attack Darcy…"

"There!" Pettigrew shouted. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry or Darcy's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why – " Sirius said. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit a murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"

Pettigrew opened his mouth, but didn't get a chance to speak.

"Er – Mr. Black – Sirius?" said Hermione.

Sirius jumped at being addressed like that.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get out of Azkaban?"

"I never lost my mind because I knew I was innocent. It isn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't feed on it. It kept me sane. And because I could transform in the cell, I'd become a dog and Dementor's can't see, you know, they feel their way around by feeding off people's emotion… But they could tell my feelings were less human, less complex as a dog… They thought I was just losing my mind.

"But then I saw Peter in the picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with you, Harry and Darcy. I had to do something, I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…

"So one night when they were bringing me my food… I slipped past them as a dog. Because it's harder to sense animal emotions. I was thin; very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars. I journeyed north to Hogwarts and entered the grounds as a dog and I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I watched you play Quidditch… you fly as well as your father, Harry."

He looked at Harry and I and we didn't look away.

"Believe me," croaked Sirius. "Believe me, Darcy, believe me, Harry. I never betrayed Lily and James. I would have_ died_ before I betrayed them."

And at long last, I finally believed them. Harry did too. I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. I looked at Lupin and breathed heavily, my eyes flicking towards Snape once again.


	28. The Dementors

**I know I'm writing this chapters like wildfire, but really, I'm just copying and pasting. I'm so close to finishing this story and I've got nothing else to do, so why not do it now? Don't be surprised if I get the final chapter out today. (:**

**THE DEMENTORS. **

"No!"

Pettigrew fell to his knees and shuffled towards Sirius. He clasped his hands together as if he were praying.

"Sirius – it's me… Peter… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…"

Sirius kicked Pettigrew off of him. "There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them."

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead. He moved to the front of him. "You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," Lupin said. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?"

"Forgive me, Remus," said Sirius.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," Lupin smirked, rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," Sirius grinned. He, too, rolled up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," Lupin said grimly.

"You wouldn't… you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. He scrambled over to Ron. "Ron… Haven't I been a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron… will you? You're on my side, aren't you?"

"Get away from me!" Ron yelled, yanking his broken leg away from Pettigrew.

He then shuffled over to Hermione. "Sweet girl… clever girl… you won't let them… help me…"

"No!" She tugged her robes away and Pettigrew finally moved over to me. My eyes widened and I tensed up, looking at Lupin.

"Oh, Darcy, I remember you as a little girl," he said, smiling, and I breathed in deeply. "You look so much like Lily…I can see them both in you… please…"

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Lupin leaped forward and pulled Pettigrew off me. Lupin wrapped his arm around my shoulders and Hermione and Harry shared a knowing look. Sirius took Pettigrew and pushed him against the wall, getting in his face.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO DARCY?" Sirius roared. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HER? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES AND LILY IN FRONT OF HER?"

"Darcy…" Pettigrew got closer to me again and Lupin held me tighter. My breath hitched and I bit my lip. He was one scary looking man. "Darcy… James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood… Darcy, your father would have shown me mercy."

Sirius walked over to him and Lupin relinquished his hold on me, following Sirius over to Pettigrew. They both took his shoulders and threw him backwards on the floor. He sat there, sheer terror on his face. "You sold James and Lily to Voldemort," said Sirius, also shaking. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears and I couldn't stand to watch it. He was like an oversized, fat baby. "Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you, Remus, and James. I never meant for it to happen… You-Know-Who forced me – "

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Sirius. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He – he was taking over everywhere!" Pettigrew gasped. "Wh – what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

Sirius choked. "What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed? Only innocent lives, Peter?"

"You don't understand!" Pettigrew whined. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Sirius and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised. "You should have realized," Lupin said quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face, I shut my eyes and turned to the wall, standing close beside her. "NO!" Harry yelled. I opened my eyes and saw him run forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew. "You can't kill him. You can't."

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Sirius growled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die, too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" Pettigrew smiled weakly. "You – thank you – it's more than I deserve – thank you – "

"Get away," Harry spat. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because – I don't reckon my dad would have wanted them to become killers – just for you."

No one moved. Sirius and Lupin looked at each other and with a small nod, they lowered their wands. "You have the right to decide," Sirius began, but I interrupted.

"No! Harry, no! He betrayed mum and dad! He needs to be killed!" I screamed and Pettigrew leapt towards me, but Sirius held him back by his shoulders. Sirius pointed his wand at the back of his head and Lupin walked towards me, rubbing my back and calming me down.

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"

"Very well…" Lupin finally agreed. "Stand aside, Harry."

Harry didn't move.

"I'm only going to tie him up," Lupin explained. "That's all, I swear."

Harry moved out of the way and thin cords came from Lupin's wand this time. In five seconds, Pettigrew was on the ground, struggling like Lupin had been before. I looked at him in disgust.

"But if you transform, Peter," Sirius growled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew. "We will kill you. You agree, Harry? Darcy?"

I nodded immediately and Harry nodded a few seconds after.

"Right," Lupin said. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best that we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." He hurried over to Ron and bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand and said, "_Ferula_." Bandages spun up, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet and Ron could put some weight on his leg.

"That's a lot better," Ron said. "Thanks."

"And you, Darcy, that's a nasty cut – very deep," he touched my shoulder and I flinched. I hadn't even noticed that it was bleeding through my shirt or that it was completely open. He looked up into my eyes and looked at me sympathetically. "We've got to get you all up to the hospital wing."

"What about Professor Snape?" I asked and everyone looked over to him, still unconscious against the wall.

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," Lupin said, checking his pulse. "You were just a little – overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er- perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this…" He sighed. "_Mobilicorpus_." As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, his was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling.

"Two of us should be chained to this," Sirius nodded towards Pettigrew. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," Lupin said.

"And me," Ron nodded, limping forward.

Sirius conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers' personal identity as a personal insult.

Hermione and Harry led the way and I followed everyone out of the room. Lupin turned around and held out his left hand and I grinned truly for the first time that night, taking his hand and feeling his warm hand envelope mine.

Lupin helped me through the roots and unchained Peter from his leg. Ron still had him and they were on the ground. Ron had his wand pointed towards him and so did Hermione. The look of terror of Pettigrew's face told me that he wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon.

I sighed, looking at my shoulder and wincing as I touched it. Lupin jogged over to me and sighed, brushing my hair slowly with his fingers, getting all the leaves and dirt out of my hair. I felt embarrassed; my hair was sweaty and my face was dirty. He sighed again. "Were you scared of me in there?"

"At first," I admitted. I looked up at him slowly through watery, tear-filled eyes. "You never scare me, Remus. I was just… overwhelmed."

"Overwhelmed? I could see that," he told me and he looked behind him. Sirius was talking with Harry. Snape was still out and Ron and Hermione kept Pettigrew under control. He touched my arms, running his fingers up and down my skin, making my hair stand up. He got closer to my face. "I never should have left you." I didn't say anything. "I want to kiss you right now."

"Then kiss me," I replied.

"I can't here…" he whispered. "Not with Snape and Peter and Sirius…"

I nodded, understanding his argument. Lupin's hand cupped my cheek, his thumb caressing my cheek bone and then he leaned in. He wasn't close enough when Hermione yelled, "Darcy! Look!" She pointed up towards the sky and the clouds shifted, showing a full moon.

I took a step away from Lupin and grabbed his hands tightly. Sirius ran over, trying to contain Lupin and hold him back. We all watched in horror as his head lengthened and his back arched. He was gripping my hands so tightly and when he hands got bigger and his claws grew, they cut into my skin. I yelled out in pain and pulled my hands away from him, wiping the blood on my shirt.

Sirius had disappeared and as Lupin got closer to me, Sirius reappeared as the bearlike dog. He was on his hind legs, scratching Lupin's face, jaw to jaw, biting each other. It was Hermione's scream that brought me back to reality. I saw Pettigrew dive for Lupin's wand and I pulled mine out, but I was too slow. There was a bang and I was sent flying backwards, my back hitting the Willow. I slid down to the ground and pushed myself back up.

Hermione pulled her wand out before Pettigrew could do any more damage. "_Expelliarmus_!" Lupin's wand flew high up in the air and into her hand. "Stay where you are!"

It was too late; I saw Pettigrew wave goodbye and transform, his bald, wormlike tail disappearing into the night.

There was a howling noise that echoed and Lupin went quiet. Suddenly, he howled back and ran into the forest. Sirius whimpered and began to wander off, further away, towards the lake. I jumped towards the big dog and followed him. I watched as he transformed and stumbled a little further, obviously injured. "Sirius!" I screamed and I ran over to him, Harry close behind me. Sirius fell onto the ground and I rushed to his side.

He was cut up, severely bleeding around the neck with a few gashes above his eyebrows. I tried to breathe his name again, but I realized that I could see my own breath. I looked towards the lake and it began to freeze over. I looked slowly up towards the sky and saw hundreds of dementors flying towards us.

I laid beside the unconscious Sirius Black, my body feeling lifeless and freezing cold. The numbness spread to my fingertips and I couldn't move anymore. My vision was fogging and I saw Harry trying to conjure a patronus, but his voice seemed further and further away each time he tried. A small wisp came from the tip of his wand, but it only held the dementors off for a few seconds. I felt one get closer and closer to me and I felt like I'd never be happy again. I looked over at Sirius out of the corner of my eye.

"Don't die," Harry was whispering over and over again.

By the light of his failed patronus, I saw something across the lake. Some kind of animal – a large animal – and it just stood there. It was shining brightly and it began to gallop across the lake. I felt the coldness slowly go away and with all the strength I could muster, I lifted my head a little bit to try to see, but it was no use.

My head hit the ground hard as I passed out.

I remember waking up and hearing voices. My head was pounding.

"Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Miss Darcy Potter."

"_No!_ Not Darcy! She's such a good - "

"Black had bewitched her. I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by her behavior. She seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. She wasn't responsible for her actions. On the other hand, her interference might have permitted Black to escape… She obviously thought she was going to catch Black single handed. She's gotten away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given her a rather high opinion of herself… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster –"

"Ah, well, Snape… Darcy Potter and her brother… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where they're concerned."

"And yet – it is good for them to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat them like any other student. And any other student would be suspended – at the very least – for leading their friends into such danger. Consider, Minister – against all school rules – after all the precautions put in place for their protection – out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer – and I have reason to believe they have been visiting Hogsmead illegally, too. And there's definitely something going on between Darcy and that werewolf, I know something romantic –"

"Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The Potters have been undoubtedly foolish…"


	29. The Time Turner

**THE TIME TURNER.**

I lay listening with my eyes shut tight. Sweat was beginning to form on my forehead. How many people did Snape tell about me and Lupin? I wondered if anyone else was awake and listening. My limbs felt like lead and my eyelids felt too heavy to lift… I just wanted to sleep on that comfortable bed forever…

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister… by the time I had come around, they were heading back to their positions at the entrance."

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, Harry, and Darcy…"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers and brought them all back to the castle."

A gnawing sensation grew in the pit of my stomach and I opened my eyes. Everything was slightly blurred, but I focused and realized I was in the hospital wing. I saw Madam Pomfrey, her back to me, bending over a bed. I saw red hair as she moved and beside Ron's bed, I saw Hermione was in one too.

I moved my head slightly and saw Harry in a bed beside mine. His eyes were open and he looked petrified. When he saw me awake, I put a finger to my lips to keep him quiet and then he pointed to the hospital door. It was open and walking through it was Cornelius Fudge and Professor Snape.

Madam Pomfrey walked briskly over to me and Harry and I saw her carrying the largest block of chocolate I had ever seen in my life. "You're awake!" she said. She put the chocolate on the table between the two beds and broke it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" Harry asked.

"He'll live," Madam Pomfrey said grimly. "As for you two… you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're – what do you think you two are doing?"

My brother and I were both sitting up, grabbing our wands from the table. I examined the large bandage covering my shoulder and the ones wrapped around my hands. "We need to see the Headmaster," I explained.

"Darcy, Harry," Madam Pomfrey said soothingly. "It's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any minute now –"

"WHAT?" we asked at the same time. I looked across the room and saw Hermione was sitting up as well, looking over towards us. We all jumped out of bed, but our shouts had been heard outside because Fudge and Snape entered the ward.

"Harry, Darcy, Hermione," Fudge looked agitated. "You should be in bed – have they had any chocolate?"

"Minister, listen!" I said. "Sirius Black is innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's –"

Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile. "Darcy, Darcy, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control…"

"YOU HAVEN'T!" I yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, please, listen!" Hermione pleaded and she hurried over to me and Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat; he's an Animangus, Pettigrew. I mean, and –"

"You see, Minister?" Snape said. "Confunded, all of them apparently. Black's done a very good job on the three of them…"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" I roared. "I KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING!"

"Minister, Professor!" Madam Pomfrey said angrily. "I must insist that you leave! They are my patients and must not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed! I'm trying to tell them what happened!" I replied. "If they'd just listen –"

But Madam Pomfrey shoved a block of chocolate in my mouth and I choked. She seized the opportunity to shove me back down on the bed. "Please, Minister, these children need care! Please leave –"

The door opened again and it was Dumbledore. I swallowed the mouthful of chocolate and sat up again. "Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black –"

"For Heaven's sake!" Madam Pomfrey said hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist –"

"My apologies Poppy, but I need a word with Miss Potter, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black."

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Miss Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat and Peter Pettigrew being alive?"

"That indeed, is Black's story," Dumbledore said, raising his eyebrows.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds…"

"That's because you were knocked out, Professor!" I interrupted. "You didn't arrive in time to hear –"

"Miss Potter, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

"Now, Snape," said a startled Fudge. "The young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances –"

"I would like to speak to the three of them alone," Dumbledore repeated. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy – please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment – they need rest!"

"This cannot wait. I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge looked at the golden watch in his pocket. "The dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"Alone, Severus," Dumbledore said again.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed finally and Dumbledore turned to the three of us.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth – we _saw_ Pettigrew –"

" – He escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf –"

" – He's a rat –"

" – Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off –"

"Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius –"

Dumbledore held up his hand to silence our rambling. "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word – and the word of thirteen and eighteen year old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you –" I began, unable to stop myself.

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little – and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends –"

"But – "

"_Listen to me, Darcy_. I'm sure Professor Lupin appreciates that you trust him," he winked and my eyes widened and I blushed. "But it is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him –"

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady – entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife – without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius' sentence."

"_But you believe us_," Hermione said.

"I do believe you, Miss Granger. Like I said, the word of three thirteen year old and one eighteen year old wizard will not change anyone's mind," Dumbledore put his hand on my shoulder. "A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen… mysterious thing, time. Powerful – and when messed with, dangerous.

"Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower. You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. And you would do well, I feel, to return before this last chime. If not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed tonight, more than one innocent life may be spared," he began to walk away, but then stopped and winked at us. "Three turns should do the trick. Oh, and when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin. Good luck."

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Harry asked.

Hermione took a necklace out of her shirt and wrapped it around me, her, and Harry's neck. Ron was still sleeping and Hermione shook her head and whispered, "Sorry, Ron… but seeing as you can't walk…" She cranked the necklace three times and after everything spun for a few seconds, Hermione took it off our necks and put it away down her shirt again.

"What just happened?" Harry said again.

"7:30," Hermione thought. "Where were we at 7:30?"

"Going to Hagrid's," I replied. "Come on."

"And we can't be seen!" Hermione replied and we began running towards the front doors.

"Darcy! Hermione!" Harry ran behind us, still confused. "Guys, will you please tell me what's going on?" We stopped in our tracks as we watched our past selves run down to Hagrid's. "That's us… This is _not_ normal…"

Hermione and I pulled Harry out of sight and pushed him against the wall. Hermione held up her necklace. "This is a time-turner, Harry," she explained. "McGonagall gave it to me first term. It's how I've been getting to my lessons all year."

"You mean we've gone back in time?" Harry asked.

"Yes," I finished. "Dumbledore obviously wanted us to return to this moment. Clearly something happened that he wants us to change. Now, come on, we should be at Hagrid's."

We ran down the path, still keeping out of view. "Look," Harry said. "Buckbeak's still alive."

"Of course…" Hermione's eyes widened. "Remember what Dumbledore said? If we succeed, more than one innocent life will be saved!"

"Here they come," Harry said, lunging towards Buckbeak. Both Hermione and I pulled him back behind the pumpkins.

"Fudge has to see Buckbeak before we save him," I told him. "Otherwise, he'd think Hagrid set him free."

We looked inside Hagrid's hut to see Hagrid giving Ron his rat back. "Pettigrew," Harry muttered coldly. He stood up, but we pulled him back down.

"Harry, you can't," I said weakly.

"He betrayed our parents, Darcy," he frowned."You don't expect me to just sit here."

"Yes, and you must!"

"Harry, you're in Hagrid's hut now," Hermione explained gently. "If you go bursting in, he'll think you've gone mad! Awful things happened to witches and wizards who've meddled with time."

"We _can't_ be seen!" I told him once more.

"Fudge is coming," Hermione pointed to him. "But why aren't we leaving?"

I looked down and saw a snail shell on the pumpkin. I picked it up and chucked it in the

Hut, and then ducked back down. "Are you mad?" Harry asked me. Hermione picked up another shell and threw it. It hit me in the back of the head and I felt it.

"Ouch, that hurt," I told her.

"Sorry," she mentioned. "We're coming out the back door, let's go."

We backed away from the pumpkins and into the outside of the woods, behind thick trees. I moved just barely and made a branch snap. The four of us behind the pumpkins turned around.

"What's going on?" the older Harry asked.

Hermione stared towards the trees, but the three of us stood still. "I thought I just saw… nevermind. Let's just go."

They ran off and the three of us regained our position behind the pumpkin. "Okay, we have to get Buckbeak now," I whispered. "Go, Harry, go ahead!"

We pushed him towards the Hippogriff and crows flocked him. He kicked them off and the front door to the hut opened. Dumbledore said something, and then it closed again. Harry bowed to Buckbeak and he bowed back.

"Okay, Buckbeak," Harry said, his voice shaking. "Come quickly. Come with us, now." He untied Buckbeak's chain and tried to pull him away, but he wouldn't budge. "Come on, Buckbeak. Quickly. Hurry up, please. Come on, Buckbeak…"

"Buckbeak!" I held out a dead animal. "Come get the nice, dead ferret!" Buckbeak stood and I threw him the animal. I picked another one off the rope and held it out in front of me, and then turned and began running towards the woods.

"Come on," I whispered, handing the animals and chain to Hermione. They followed me as I ran through all the trees.

"Where to now?" Harry asked and I smiled to myself.

"To save Sirius."

"How?"

"No idea," we found a spot in the woods and let Buckbeak lay down. We could see the Whomping Willow perfectly. I sat down in the middle of Harry and Hermione and sighed. "Look, there's Lupin." My stomach got butterflies.

"And Snape's coming," Hermione said.

"And now we wait…" Harry breathed. "Look, guys, I know I saw my dad cast that patronus. You and Sirius were already passed out."

"But you're dad's –" Hermione began.

"Dead, I know," Harry finished for her. "I'm just telling you what I saw."

"Wait," I stood up. "Here we come."


	30. Goodbye

**Well, this is the last chapter! Finally, this is done. So soon, when I feel like it, I'll begin to write the sequel. Hopefully you all enjoyed this story and hopefully the end is as good as you hoped. Enjoy!**

**GOODBYE.**

Lupin was transforming. Harry and I tried to follow Sirius. As this whole scene played before my eyes, I watched Lupin got close to injuring me and Sirius. "AWOO!" I cried.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, covering my mouth.

"Saving our lives!" I replied. "AWOO!"

"Thanks," Harry sighed, but then we saw Lupin coming after us, towards the sound of my howl. "Now he's after us!"

"Yeah… didn't think about that… run!"

We ran as fast as we could through the forest, dodging trees and jumping over roots, and finally hiding behind the trunk of a large tree. My heart was pounding; I was sure Lupin could hear it and would find us. I was sure it was going to burst open my chest. Lupin couldn't find us and we snuck to the other side of the tree. He was nowhere to be found.

I turned around and saw him standing over me. I backed up, making sure Harry and Hermione were behind me and as he came down to attack me, Buckbeak flew in front of us, scratching his face and pushing him away. Whimpering, Lupin ran away. I wanted to run after him. I stroked Buckbeak's feathers.

"Poor Professor Lupin's having a really tough night," Harry muttered, but I ignored him. I stood there and watched as the werewolf ran out of sight and then Harry pulled on my hand. "We have to go save Sirius!"

When we reached him, the dementors were already sucking out our souls. Sirius and I were already unconscious. Harry was the only one still awake, trying to fight off the dementors by himself. "This is horrible," Hermione whispered, grabbing Harry's hand.

"Don't worry. Dad will come," Harry said, standing his ground. "He'll conjure the patronus. Any minute now…" Still, no one came. "Right there. You'll see."

"Harry, listen to me," Hermione told him. "No one's coming."

"Don't worry, he will."

"Darcy and Sirius are dying…"

Harry jumped forward and both of us gasped. "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

Jumping onto Buckbeak's back, we began to fly away, a few minutes after the incident with Harry's patronus. "You were right!" Harry said, smiling. "It wasn't my dad I saw! It was me! I saw myself conjuring the patronus! I knew I could do it this time because, well, I'd already done it! Does that make sense?"

Hermione and I looked at each other. "No!"

Buckbeak swerved down to the Dark Tower and I screamed. Hermione jumped off and ran up to Sirius' cell. "_Bombarda_!" she cried and the lock busted. Sirius jumped on Buckbeak's back with the three of us and we rode off.

When we landed, Sirius took my hands and Harry and Hermione followed us to a small landing, where he sat us down. I was crying. I wanted to hide it, but too much had happened that night and I was freaking out. Sirius tried to stop me, but it wasn't working.

"I'll be forever grateful for this," he said quietly. "To both of you."

"We want to go with you," Harry stated.

"One day, perhaps," Sirius said, turning to Harry. "For some time, my life will be too unpredictable. And besides, you're meant to be here."

"But you're innocent!" Harry argued.

"And you know it. And for now, that'll do. I expect you two are tired of hearing this, but you look so like your parents," Sirius smiled, taking my face in his hands. "Both of you have your mother's eyes."

I sniffed.

"It's cruel that I spent so much time with James and Lily, and you so little, but know this: the ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them," he touched right where my heart was. "In here." He sighed and looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"I – I don't know," I replied. "You and Professor Lupin and us. It's too much. I've lost too much."

Sirius smiled and took my hands, standing me up. "I remember seeing you when you were first born. You probably don't remember, but whenever you were crying, they'd give you to me because you'd immediately stop."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me tightly and then let go after a few seconds, hugging Harry. Hermione helped him back on Buckbeak's back. "You really are the brightest witch of your age." Looking away towards the sky, he flew off.

The clock rang and I looked at Hermione. "Hermione! We have to get back now," I breathed and already panting, the three of us began to sprint towards the hospital wing, trying to beat the clock. We met Dumbledore outside the door. "We did it. He's free. He's gone on Buckbeak."

"Well done, I think –" Dumbledore placed his ear to the door. "I think you've gone too. Get inside – I'll lock you in."

Harry, Hermione and I slipped back into the hospital wing and got back down in bed. Ron was still lying there, motionless. As the door closed, Madam Pomfrey stepped out of her office. "Did I hear the Headmaster leaving? Am I finally allowed to take care of my patients?"

She was in a very bad mood, so I thought it would be best to just accept the chocolate and eat it quietly. I could hardly swallow it – my heart was pumping and my nerves were jangling. As I took my forth piece of chocolate, I heard a distant roar of fury.

"What was that?" Madam Pomfrey asked, looking around.

I could hear angry voices getting louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was standing at the door.

"They'll wake everyone up! What do they think they're doing?"

I was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer –

"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out – "

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS – HAS – SOMETHING – TO – DO – WITH –DARCY – POTTER! OF COURSE SHE'D SAVE HIM! HE'S HER GODFATHER – SHE'S IN LOVE WITH THAT WEREWOLF – IT'S DARCY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT – "

"Severus – be reasonable – Darcy has been locked up – "

BAM.

The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore strode into the ward. Dumbledore looked extremely calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself – he was furious.

He approached my bed, placing his hands on the mattress on either side of my body, his face close to mine. "OUT WITH IT, POTTER! WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself! She's just a student! She needs rest!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "The door's been locked, we just saw – "

"THEY HELPED HER, TOO! THEY ALL HELPED HIM ESCAPE! I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, now pointing to Harry and Hermione as well. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER! SHE DID IT – I KNOW SHE DID IT – "

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" Madam Pomfrey said, snorting. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore, calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that these three are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge to Dumbledore. He whirled around, his robes billowing behind him as he stormed out of the ward. "Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore. You're alright, Darcy?"

"I'm fine," I said meekly.

"He's not unbalanced," Dumbledore explained quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

Fudge huffed. "He's not the only one! The _Daily Prophet _is going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of the hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughing stock! Well… I'd better go notify the Ministry…"

"And the Dementors?" Dumbledore asked. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"

"Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent girl… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance…"

"Hagrid would like that," Dumbledore said, smiling and us. As he and Fudge left the ward, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. She muttered something under her breath and went back into her office.

There was a low moan from the other side of the dormitory and Ron was trying to sit up. He was rubbing his head, looking around. "Wh – what happened? Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"

The three of us looked at each other. "You explain, Hermione," Harry smiled.

The next day, I was released from the hospital wing, along with everyone else. Dumbledore had asked to speak to me and I accepted, walking up to his office, still bandaged up with a little headache. He was sitting at his desk, his hands folded in front of him, a giant smile on his face.

"A letter came for you this morning," Dumbledore said. "It's from the Ministry. Actually, Fudge gave it to me before he left. Said that after last night, you were definitely worthy of this."

I took it slowly and looked at it.

"You see, I had a chat with him about you becoming an Auror. Showed him your grades and how well you do. I even got your teachers to tell him how great of a witch you are."

I tore the letter open slowly. I hesitated in pulling the letter out and reading it.

"Professor Lupin showed a great interest in your school work," Dumbledore said and I blushed. "You seriously underestimate me, Darcy. I knew ever since the beginning."

"Knew what?" I asked quickly.

He didn't say anything, he just smiled. I knew what he was talking about and I was amazed that he was still smiling. Wasn't he angry that his new professor had had a relationship with a student? "Since the beginning."

"Well, it's no use anymore," I said sadly. "I'm afraid that we're not meant to be together anymore."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"If that's true," I said, putting the letter back in the envelope. "I don't want this. There are more important things than becoming an Auror."

"What kind of things?"

"Love."

"You are truly your mother's child, Darcy," Dumbledore answered. "But keep the letter."

"No, really, Professor, I don't want to –"

"I'm putting an old organization back together," he said. "It's called the Order of the Phoenix. I thought that you might like to join. Many people are in it. Me, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, a few other Aurors and… oh! Professor Lupin."

I simply nodded and stood up, placing the letter on Dumbledore's desk. "I'll join. I don't want this anymore."

"It's been your dream for a long time. Ever since you were a little girl. A first year."

"I know," I said. "But I'm not a little girl anymore."

I left Dumbledore's room and met Harry on the way out. "I'm going to see Professor Lupin. You coming?" he asked and I nodded. We walked silently up three flights of stairs and opened the classroom door. We walked into his office.

"Hello, Miss and Mr. Potter," he said. His back was turned to us, but he pointed to the open map on his desk. "I saw you coming." He turned around and I cringed. There were two, fresh scratch marks across his face, probably from Buckbeak or Sirius. There were gashes on his neck. I bit my lip. "I've looked worst, believe me." He smiled.

I ran up to him and he dropped his wand and things on his desk. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he hugged my waist tightly. He squeezed me tightly and let go. I stood beside him as he rubbed my back slowly.

"You've been sacked," Harry said quietly, noticing that all his stuff was packed or being packed.

"No," Lupin said and I smiled. "No, I resigned actually." My heart sank into my stomach again.

"Resigned? Why?" I asked quickly.

"Well, it seems that Snape let slip the nature of my condition and all of Slytherin seems to believe that you and I are romantically involved – wonder who spilled that secret. This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving and parents will not want – well, someone like me teaching their children," he explained.

"But Dumbledore –" I protested.

"He has already risked enough on my behalf," Lupin finished.

I frowned and looked at the ground. I breathed in and out slowly. "You can't leave," I said quietly, my voice shaking. "You can't just leave! You need this job and the student's need you."

"Darcy, people like me are… let's just say, I'm used to it by now. Trust me, Darcy, I have to leave… Why do you two look so miserable?"

"None of it made any difference," Harry sighed. "Pettigrew escaped."

"Didn't make any different?" Lupin smiled. "It made all the difference in the world! You uncovered the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate! It made a great deal of difference. If I am proud of anything, it is how much you two learned this year."

Harry and I exchanged sad looks and I looked up at Lupin. He smiled at me sweetly.

"Now, since I am no longer your teacher, I have no guilt in giving this back to you," he pointed to the map. I felt tears well up in my eyes and Lupin put a finger up to Harry, telling him to wait a minute. He turned to me. "And since I am no longer your professor, I feel no guilt in giving you _this_." He kissed me gently and it was perfect.

"I'll leave," Harry laughed and turned around. I pulled away from Lupin and smiled at Harry as he left the room, smiling at me.

"You could have gotten – "

"Killed, or hurt, I know, I know," I said and I touched his cheek and his scratches. His hair was a mess and it looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep. Still, his blue eyes pierced mine. "But I had to do it. I thought you were going to kill me."

"Don't ever think that!" his eyes widened. "I would never want to hurt you and you know that!"

"I know. It was just a rough night and – and – "

"And what?"

"I'll never see you again. Can't you stay?" I begged and I hugged his body close to mine, allowing the tears to begin flowing. "Remus, I'll never see you again. I want you here with me, all the time. I want to be able to see you whenever I need you, whenever I need someone to talk to."

Lupin pried me off of him and lifted my face with his fingers. "Darcy, I have a strong feeling that we'll see each other again," he kissed me quickly. "But now, I must say goodbye."

I looked away and he tucked my hair behind my ears. My breathing was irregular and weird. I wiped my eyes and looked up at him. He was frowning. "I said no. I'm not going to become an Auror. I want to stay with you." He didn't say anything. "Please. Please say something."

"You have to become an Auror," Lupin whispered. "I don't have the things you need. I don't have a nice house. I don't have a lot of money. We can't be together, Darcy."

"No, please, I don't care about that. I don't care about money. I love you," I sighed, touching his shoulders. "And if you love me, you'd –"

"I know we'll see each other again soon. I know it," he told me, hugging me tightly. "You're just going to have to wait a little bit."

"I don't think I'll be able to," I said honestly.

"Me either," he whispered in my ear. "But I swear to you, once I see you… I'll go crazy." He laughed.

"Please don't go…"

"I have to. I have to say goodbye to you," he lifted me and set me on his desk. He stood in front of me with his hands on my shoulders, his face close to mine. "Darcy, I've wanted you from the first day and you don't know how bad I want you now. Trust me, I don't want to leave. But I just knew that there was something about you, I had to have you."

"And now you've got me." He smiled weakly.

"I love you," he told me seriously. "I really do. And I'm sorry for last night. I'm sorry for hurting you and scaring you…"

"I forgive you."

"And?"

"And I love you, too. And I'll wait forever."

Lupin smiled and sighed, kissing me softly. "As will I. But for now," he tapped the map and it folded up. "Mischief managed."

I took the map in my hands and he dragged his suitcases towards the door. "Remus, please, please don't leave me."

"I'm not leaving _you_," he smiled weakly. "I'm leaving Hogwarts. We'll meet again, I promise you, Darcy." Tears fell from my eyes as I looked at the ground. "Come with me to my carriage. It's right outside waiting for me."

I nodded and ran up beside him, still clutching the map in my hands. We walked past all the students, some Slytherin and some teasing us.

"Watch out, Darcy, he might bite you!"

"Mrs. Werewolf!"

"Darcy and the werewolf!"

I ignored them all and so did Lupin. When we got outside, he looked down at me. "That doesn't bother you?" he asked me and I shook my head.

"No," I told him honestly. "They're all stupid and immature. It's not like you're a werewolf because you choose to be. Let's put it this way – if you had never been a werewolf, Sirius wouldn't be able to transform into a dog and he would still probably be in Azkaban, but because he is able to be a dog, he's free now."

"You've really given this some thought," Lupin laughed and I shrugged. "Well, I really have to leave, Darcy."

I nodded and he took my hands, embracing me in a loving hug. "I love you so much. I can't even explain it."

He kissed me and I felt my stomach twist and my heart speed up. "Tell your brother and your friends that I said goodbye. Tell Dumbledore I said thank you," he let me go and got in the back of the carriage. It began to walk towards the exit and I walked beside it. "And Darcy, I'll see you soon, okay?"

"How do you know?"

He tapped his head. Eventually, he got far enough where I had to stop. He waved and I looked down at the map in my hands.

_Mr. Moony presents his compliments to the beautiful Darcy Potter and wants her to know that he'll miss her terribly and that he loves her._


End file.
